


Hearts Entwined, Bodies Aligned

by anarchycox



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Snark, match making, movie style bets with people's lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:46:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8918311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: Balthazar runs a matchmaking business that has a perfect record of zero matches. This is because the matchmaking is really just a front for doing background checks for people who want to do business with the Shurley family - usually illegal business. He gets drunk with his bookie cousin Gabriel and they make a bet, that Balthazar can’t actually make 5 perfect matches. Balthazar has always been viewed as less than by his family since he is the only beta. He is determined to prove them wrong and win the bet. His long suffering assistant Castiel mostly just hopes they don’t end up on the evening news as bodies found in the river.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fun story to write.  
> All the thanks in the world to the absolutely incredible artist stardustandfreckles - they did such an outstanding job here.  
> Thanks also to beta willbakefordean for helping me wade through when I was stuck.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at the lovely business card my artist designed

Balthazar was very pleased with the look of the new business cards. Simple, elegant. He put them in the card holder on the front desk, and a few in the tiny box outside the front door. He changed the flowers in the shop window and opened the curtains. He liked the windows to look welcoming, lush, but not too ostentatious. This was a nice neighbourhood, but it also had its share of college hipsters, and young people just starting their careers. He fussed with his assistant’s desk and started a pot of coffee and set out some cookies.

He looked around the room he had spent so many hours designing and putting together. It matched his standards of quality. He nodded and went back to his office which was plain, with an old desk, an older computer, and a very comfortable couch. He lay down and had a nap. He had been awake since 9 for god’s sake and it was 10 now. A man deserved a break.

“Wake up.”

“I’d rather not.”

“We have a client.”

“We don’t have clients.” Balthazar yawned.

“We had a walk in.” Cas nudged him again.

“I don’t understand.” Balthazar sat up. “Gabriel sent someone for a background check?”

Cas rolled his eyes. “Then I would have said it was one of the ‘chums, pals, budderinos,’” He handed Balthazar a cup of coffee. “This is an actual, honest to god client. They liked our perfect record that you mentioned on the new cards.”

“We do have a perfect record.” Balthazar said virtuously.

“Yes, because everyone brags about matching zero people at a matchmaking agency.” Cas kicked the sofa. “Get up.”

“Give me a minute. And a coffee. Preferably one that has alcohol in it.” Balthazar yawned again and stretched. He stood and grabbed his blazer putting it over his grey t-shirt.

“Could you find a t-shirt with a little deeper V, we can’t quite see your nipples?” Cas handled him a cup of coffee.

“Figure out how to knot your tie right yet?” Balthazar sipped. “There is no whiskey in this.”

“Yes there is.” Cas smirked. “A teaspoon. Chop chop.”

The two men smiled at each other. “Right, let’s get rid of the client, I was having a lovely dream about the orgy in Venice from a few years ago.”

Cas quickly combed his hair, and put a drop more whiskey in his coffee. “Thank you, darling.” Cas just shrugged and pushed him out the door.

“Hello and welcome to Hearts Entwined...officer.” Balthazar turned and glared at Cas for not warning him. Cas just grinned. The asshole.

“Donna.” she said. “Donna Hascum.” She stood and offered her hand and Balthazar bent over in a small bow and kissed her knuckles. She flushed just a little. 

“Please, may I get you some coffee, a cookie?” Cas asked. “I know you said you were fine, but this process can take a while.”

“I’m on my lunch break, don’t have a lot of time.” She looked at the plate of cookies.

“Just a couple.” Cas suggested.

She nodded and thanked Cas when he brought it over.

Balthazar just glared at Cas some more. Having a cop in here was a bad idea. A really bad idea. He thought of the false back in his file cabinet. Really, spectacularly bad idea.

Cas kicked him in the ankle as he brought over a small plate. “Don’t you need your notebook sir?” Cas always made sir sound like a curse word.

“Of course, thank you.” Balthazar scowled at him and went over to the front desk and pulled out a notebook. He grabbed a pen and sat on a chair across from the woman.

“We’ll take some preliminary notes, a photo, and then we will email you a link to a more thorough questionnaire.” Balthazar explained as he took a sip of his coffee. He noticed the woman grasping her hands so tight, her knuckles were white. He looked at Cas and tilted his head. Cas just tilted his head back. Christ both of them were horrible at human interaction.

“Detective Hascum,” Balthazar began.

“Donna, and it’s officer.” She flushed a little. “I haven’t past my exams.” She began to twist her fingers. “I’m not…” She just trailed off and snatched up a cookie.

“Well, Donna, are you looking for casual dating?” Balthazar asked.

“No, sir,” she smiled, and Balthazar realized that she was quite attractive. “Looking for the long haul. Tried casual, but it just doesn’t suit. My last omega, he didn’t...he didn’t think I was alpha enough, and I’ve tried speed dating and an online matchmaking thing, but neither panned out.”

Balthazar sniffed the air carefully. He could smell the alpha a little, but knew public officials wore minor blockers on the job. He looked at Cas again. He wasn’t supposed to do this, he wasn’t supposed to fucking care. Cas shook his head a little, but in a resigned way that meant he knew Balthazar was going to do something stupid. They were both so very good at that.

“Donna.” Balthazar’s voice was quiet as he stood and knelt before her. “May I smell your wrist?”

“My wrist?” Donna was surprised. “But, that won’t do anything.” She bit her lip. “And you are a beta.” That neutral scent was easily recognized.

Cas sighed. “It will, and it’s safe. I promise.”

Balthazar looked at her white knuckles and covered her hand carefully. “There is someone out there for everyone, and everyone deserves love.”

Cas coughed a little. “Overselling,” could just be heard in the cough.

Balthazar never took his eyes off of Donna, just waited. When she unfolded her hands, he held her palm carefully and brushed his nose against her wrist. He breathed in deeply and slowly before placing a gentle kiss and folding her hand back over. “Thank you.”

“You betcha.” Donna’s eyes were wide and her pulse was a little erratic.

Balthazar moved back to his couch and asked a few simple questions and then after about twenty minutes of conversation took her photo for the file. They both shook her hand and Cas actually walked her out. Balthazar went back to his office with his ‘notes’ and he threw them in the trash. He opened the filing cabinet and pulled the flask out of the F files.

“What the hell was that?” Cas yelled as he stormed in.

“It was putting on a good show.” Balthazar sipped more out of the flask. He was far too sober for this. “She was a cop, we had to play it carefully.”

“Careful? That wasn’t careful. I don’t know what the fuck that was, but it wasn’t careful.” Cas flopped on the couch and gestured. Balthazar tossed him the flask. “I hate this job. I hate the universe and I hate the cosmic void at the end of it. And the Dodgers.”

“Then you shouldn’t have found yourself in debt to my family. Working as my assistant was just about the most humiliating job they could think of for a man of your skills.” Balthazar raised the second flask he pulled out in toast.

“My skills?” Cas snorted and drank more. “Fuck my skills, and fuck your family.”

“I’ll do a lot of stupid things in bed Cassie but incest isn’t on that list.” 

Cas couldn’t fight the laugh and Balthazar sat on the couch beside him. They both drank in quiet. “So?”

“So what, Cas?” Balth asked.

“What did she smell like?”

“Hope.” Balth ran a hand over his face. “Promise, fidelity, care. Pumpkin pie when it is almost burned but not yet there. Surprisingly sweet for an alpha.”

“You got all that from her wrist?” Cas looked at him.

“My 2nd cousin once removed, Naomi, wrote a paper on my ability to smell alphas and omegas.”

“So what do we do?” Cas asked. “Can’t have her back here, not if some of your cousins are sending in their ‘clients.’”

“Cas stop doing the fucking air quotes.” 

“No, I think they add flair and comedy to language. You might not have understood my sarcasm.”

“They understood your sarcasm two states over.”

Cas took another sip, sad when the flask was empty. He stole Balthazar’s who just reached under the sofa for yet another spare one. 

“We send her the email, have her fill in that generic questionnaire I designed and in a few weeks, we call her and say we don’t have a match in our files, but I know a sister company that would suit her well and give her a code for a discount for their services. Charlie will treat her right.” Balth sighed.

“You could find a match for her.” Cas squinted at him. “You already know someone, just from that meeting, who would be right for her.”

Balthazar, put the cap on the flask and put it aside so that he wouldn’t throw it. “Of course I do.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Hey, if it isn’t my favourite cousin!” Gabriel shouted as Balthazar came down the steps. “What’s up Spray Tan?” The woman on his arm let out a fake giggle.

“I assure you, this is natural.”

“Those rays will kill you.” Gabriel looked at the tv. “Aww crap, why’d the Tigers have to go on a streak, we’re actually going to have to pay out some money.”

“You have plenty.” Balth took the drink that a different woman handed him. “How about you sip first lovely? Not in the mood to get drugged today.”

“Awww, when did you stop being fun?” Gabriel pouted but waved the girl and the drink away.

“When I woke up in Tijuana with my dick pierced.” Balthazar replied. “Here are the files on some of your latest prospective clients. Gordon would be a problem.”

“Deano can handle him.” Gabriel flipped through the files. “And he has money and is overconfident. Might as well take him for what we can.”

“Kevin, he’s a kid. Don’t suck him in.”

Gabriel widened his eyes. “I’m just helping a boy with the ever growing expenses that occur with a prime university degree.”

“Then hire him.”

Gabriel paused. “Go on, Goldilocks.”

“He’ll be better at playing the odds, working the numbers.”

“We don’t hire outside family.”

“You hired Castiel.”

“That wasn’t hired, that is indentured servitude that he also pulls a modest salary for.” Gabriel’s grin is sharp. “He’s a fun one isn’t he? But maybe it is time for a transfer. Uncle Zach is looking for an assistant.” Gabriel waited to see the effect that would have on Balthazar.

But Balth just laughed. “Do you really, really want to let Cas loose on Washington?” He laughed some more. “He’d burn the whole city down.”

Gabriel frowned, cranky that Balthazar had scored a point. “And the other file?”

“Benny? Take his money. Bit of a past, but nothing I’m worried about.” Balthazar nodded and just wanted to leave his cousin’s office. The red velvet always hurt his eyes.

“Come on, Balth, stay a little.” Gabriel pouted. And held out a lollipop. “Pwease? Mikey was mean to me today. And I had to talk to Raphael.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes and sat on the couch beside Gabriel. “The lollipop laced with anything?”

“Just beautiful sugar.” 

Balthazar popped it in his mouth. “So wanna talk shit about the family?”

“Always.”

Three hours later the cousins were stripped down to shirtsleeves and drunk on the floor. “No really, Lucifer thought he could get me to blackmail someone! Me!” Gabriel began to laugh. “I don’t blackmail, that’s like their job. I’m the fun guy. I have a casino.”

“You have 10 tables and 80% of the revenue is from your sports book. You make most most of your money off of suburban parents betting on the fucking spelling bee.”

“Man, I love the bee. People betting on if a kid is going to cry, love taking their money.” Gabriel grinned. “So how’s the luuuuv business?” Gabriel began to giggle.

“It’s not that funny.” Balthazar took another sip of his pink and frothing drink. “Also these are really delicious.”

“I know right?” Gabriel looked at him. He started to laugh some more. “Still can’t get over it. You running a matchmaking business.”

“It was your idea. 15 years ago.”

“Do you know why?” Gabirel grinned. “It was The Thanksgiving Speech.”

Balthazar groaned. “I was 16, and just realized I was a bloody beta, only one in our goddamn family.”

“Mating, is stupid, an environmental and biological throwback to when we lived in trees.” Gabriel quoted. “You went on for twenty minutes. Ruined dinner. Knew when you decided to come into the family business, that your charm and nimble fingers would be perfect, and the cover of matchmaker?” Gabriel kissed his fingers. “God more beautiful than alligators in the sewers of New York.”

“I believe in love.”

“You don’t believe in perfect bond mates, and that is what you are selling.” Gabriel giggles some more. “I bet even if you had two people who would be a perfect match watch into your office, you couldn’t put them together.”

“You are wrong.” Balthazar slammed down his glass that was all froth and no liquid at this point. “I could be a bloody brilliant matchmaker if I wasn’t so damn busy dealing with all the family politics and criminal activities.”

“Grey area, we have very good lawyers.” Gabriel said seriously and then he laughed some more and did a jello shot. “No way, could you, the man who’s had a what was it a 12-way and has said to people at a toast during their wedding, oh dear, you forgot the prenup didn’t you ah well I know a lawyer, couldn’t make one perfect match.”

“No, I couldn’t.” Balthazar glared. “I could make five.”

“Nu-uh, no way.” Gabriel stuck out his tongue.

“Could too.” Balthazar made a face back. It was five minutes of this back and forth.

“Well, then prove it.” Gabriel finally said. “Prove that you could actually be a match maker. I bet you that you can’t make 5 perfect matches.”

“What do I get when I win?”

“I rip up Cassie’s contract and you can walk away from the family, disappear, like I know you’ve thought about doing. Don’t use our guy when you make fake docs cousin.” Gabriel chided. “Always comes back to us.”

“I lose?” Balthazar tried not to show how much he wanted to win.

“Cassie transfers to Uncle Zach and you properly come into the fold. No more just running checks for us. You step up to the plate. Dad said you had more skills than we realized.”

Balthazar looked at him. “One year?”

“Please, 3 months.”

“8.”

“5 months.” Gabriel held out his hand.

“Deal.” Balthazar shook it. “Now give me another of those pink drinks.”

 

One month later Balthazar was sitting in his office, wondering where Cas was. The man eventually came in, a leaf in his hair and a small tear in his trench coat.

“I think we agreed no more Pokemon Go.” Balth said tiredly. Even the family business had been slow and he had handed over Donna’s file to Charlie. He didn’t mention he had kept a copy of it. 

“That boy took my gym. I had to take it back and then there was a meowth in the neighbourhood. It had to be found.” Cas didn’t look up from his phone. 

Balthazar sighed. “Cas, can’t you save the intensity for like, cocktails, reality television, or sex?”

“Cocktails take too much time when you can just drink from the bottle, I don’t understand the point of watching people with worse lives than mine get away with stuff I never could, and no one wants to have sex with me.” Cas put his phone down. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just give me your damn coat Cas.” Balthazar held out a hand. 

Cas shrugged out of it and Balth went to the desk and pulled out a small sewing kit. He sat on the nice sofa and set to repairing the small tear.

Cas watched in confusion. “Do you always take care of me?” 

“You work for me.” Balth didn’t look up.

“People don’t take care of me, I’m unpleasant and confrontational.”

“Left the air quotes off I see.” Balth was pleased that you could barely see his stitches. “Plus, you used to kill people for a living, it was just legal when you did it.”

Cas frowned, “The army is a good -”

“Place to get treated like shit if you are an omega who tries to do the right thing.” Balthazar looked up. “Sorry Cassie, you can respect them and the service you gave all you want, they threw away the best thing they had, so for my mind, they can get fucked.”

“You are loyal.”

“I am right.” He held up the coat. “There you go, pay attention to the bushes more.”

Cas took the coat and hung it up. “Thank you. Go have a nap, you’ve been awake for a couple hours after all.”

“No I’m fine.” He smiled. “Besides company is coming.” He pointed to where Gabriel was walking down the street.

Gabriel came in whistling. “Am I interrupting anything here Dynamic Duo?”

“No.” Cas said shortly. “Still destroying lives?”

“Hey they destroy their lives themselves, sugar pop, I just hold the coat.” Gabriel winked.

“You are rather short for a coat rack.” Cas smiled. “Coffee?”

“Try to make it sound a little less like arsenic next time you offer.”

“I’m all out of arsenic.” 

“I was joking.” Gabriel sighed. “Really got to work on that humour buddy.”

“Balthazar finds me quite amusing.”

Balth decided to step in. “Balthazar is wondering why you are here, Gabe. New clients?”

“Nope, my books are full right now, not looking for more expansion.” Gabriel slumped into a chair. “Everyone’s actually pretty settled in right now. No, I’m here to see how that bet was going.”

Balthazar looked at him. “That was a joke.”

“Was it?” Gabriel pulled out a pack of cookies from his pocket. Balthazar reached over and snatched them away. He replaced it with a celery stick. “Rude.”

“Yes well, as annoying as you are, I don’t want you to die of diabetes.” Balthazar replied. “And again, you weren’t serious.”

“Actually, Balthazar, I was.” Gabriel looked at them. “And time is flying. You’ve wasted what three weeks already?”

“I thought it was a drunken laugh.”

“V-Neck, when do I ever joke about a bet?”

Cas’s eyes widened and he didn’t even think, he went over and got in Balthazar’s face. “You made a bet?”

“It was a joke, Gabriel wouldn’t make this sort of bet.”

“But that’s why I did, because it is a joke.” Gabriel smirked.

Cas looked between the two of them. He didn’t understand, but he seldom did since he had fallen in with the Shurley clan. “What was the bet.” His voice was flat, it wasn’t a question but a command.

“Easy. Balthazar has a little over 4 months to make 5 perfect bond matches.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Look Balth here thinks love and perfect matches are bullshit, frankly that’s why we set up this cover shop for him. But he thinks he could actually do it. So I set some terms and told him to prove it. 5 matches in 5 months.”

“What does the winner get?” Cas squinted a little.

Gabriel opened his mouth but Balthazar cut him off. “Just the usual familial humiliation and bragging rights.” Balthazar glared at Gabriel and for once Gabriel kept his mouth shut.

“You win, we can humiliate Gabe?” Cas smiled. “We are making this happen.”

“But -”

Gabe clapped his hands together, “Well this will be fun.” He walked out whistling. He was sure to win, after all Balthazar had never put in any clauses that Gabriel couldn’t sabotage the whole thing.

Cas turned to Balthazar. “You can win this.”

“How?”

“By matching people.”

“I don’t know people, Cassie.” Balthazar stood up and went for the flask taped to the back of the coffee maker but Cas stood in the way. “I know family, and you, and a couple people like Charlie, and some of the people I’ve fucked. So tell me out of that grouping, who am I going to match?”

Cas stood very still and looked up, always a sign that he was thinking about something that was likely to either be brilliant or end the world. Last time Balthazar had seen that look was the day Cas walked in the office and looked around. He had guessed where all the flasks were and then sort of paused. “Oh you are as fucked up as me, well we may as well ride out the hell that is life together.”

Balthazar wondered how he had gotten through days without Cas in them. Cas all of a sudden turned in a perfect parade step and went back to Balthazar’s office. Balthazar thought about going for the flask but poured some coffee and snacked on the cookies he had stolen from Gabriel.

A couple minutes later Cas returned with a small data drive that he shouldn’t know even existed.

“Cas -” Balthazar sat up slowly. “How do you know about that?”

“I pay attention. You always have backup plans, on backup plans.” Cas smiled happily. “And this? This shows that you know people.”

“Those are the family clients.” Balthazar looked at the stick, “That is everyone I have created a research file on.”

“Sort of almost like a dating questionnaire, couldn’t you say?”

“Raphael would kill me.” Balthazar said sadly.

“Come on, he’s going to kill you anyways, we might as well do something interesting before we are thrown into the endless abyss that awaits us after death.”

“Always a ray of sunshine.” Balthazar looked at him. “Well if you found that, go find the hidden tablet, and let’s see what we have.”

Cas hurried back to the office and there was a very loud bang. “I’m fine.”

“We’re not even a little fine.” Balthazar shouted back.

Cas came out dusty and a bit of plaster on his shoulder but with the tablet. “Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match.”   
  
  


Two hours later they had removed 50 people from the 80 files that Balthazar had. Balth was pacing as Cas worked on the tablet.

“No, let’s keep this in state, maybe a couple neighbouring ones.” Balthazar said. “We don’t have a lot of time to be driving around.”

Cas tapped at the screen. “That took out a bunch. Down to twenty actually. Hadn’t realized how many weren’t local.”

“Philadelphia isn’t that big.” Balthazar said. “Just has good proximity.”

“Take out anyone that has the initials R.A.D.”

“But don’t we want to match ‘rad’ people?” Cas started to search the remaining files.

“Have you been watching John Hughes movies again?” Balthazar smirked a little. “And no in this case it stands for Raging Asshole Dickwad. I’ll not help guys like that find happy ever after.”

A few more keystrokes. “Down to twelve. Leaves some wiggle room.”

Balthazar sat on the couch beside Cas. He breathed in a little. “Your heat is soon.”

“I am aware.” Cas didn’t look up from his screen.

“You aren’t using…”

“Been two years, need to have a cycle run through and then I’ll be back on suppressants.” Cas’s demeanour was cold. 

“Forgive me.” Balthazar was sincere.

“No, it’s fine.” Cas put the tablet down. “Got used to not talking about it in the army. Omegas had to be very very quiet about their gender. It was illegal to make us pass for beta, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t encourage it.”

“Well, I can get you an excellent discount at a toy shop, or a care house if you need it.” Balthazar said. “30% easy.”

“You are lucky you get to skip all this.”

“Lucky indeed.” Balthazar picked up the tablet. “We have one more to add here.”

“Who?”

“Her.” Balthazar added Donna into their mix. “Gabriel is going to try to fuck with us, so we’ll fuck with him right back.”

“How? By siccing the cops on him?” Cas groaned. “I’m still too young and reasonably attractive to die with cement shoes.”

“Family hasn’t done that since Prohibition.” 

“My point stands, you are going to let a meter maid loose on Gabriel?”

“Not at all darling. I’m going to put him together with his perfect match.”

Cas got up, ripped the flask off the back of the coffee maker and lay down on the floor and cuddled it carefully. “We are going to die.”

“Oh hush, they’ll be cute.” Balthazar smiled. “But first? First we are going to fix Deano up.”


	4. Chapter 4

Dean sat at the breakfast bar and ate some toast. He yawned and scratched his belly. The Shurley’s hadn’t been availing themselves of his services a lot recently and money was starting to get tight. But the want ads didn’t exactly have a lot of positions for guys who could be scary and mall rent a cop just seemed too depressing.

“Dean!” Sam yelled. It was probably the fifth time.

“What?”

“Don’t put the milk back in empty. Put it in the recycling.”

“Not empty.” Dean smiled. He had deliberately left just a tiny sip in there just to annoy Sam.

“You are an ass.”

Dean just crunched some more toast and kept reading the want ads.

Sam made himself an egg white omelette. “I could get a job after classes.”

“Nope, you’re job is doing law school applications and studying for the LSAT.” Dean said.

“But it isn’t fair.” Sam pouted a bit. “You are working so hard for me, yeah Dad’s insurance money has covered school and buying this place, but there’s still food and bills and books and I know you aren’t getting a lot of hours right now at the club you work for.” Sam looked at him. “Jess is the manager of the school bookstore and she said it is murder to get anyone to help right now for the close shift, the store is dead and no one wants to be there. I could get my work done on the job. It would only be like 20 hours.”

“How do you know that?” Dean raised a brow.

Sam flushed. “Jess and I had coffee. She might have mentioned it.”

“Why don’t you just ask her out already?” Dean sat bat a little on his bar stool. “Come on, alpha up and ask her out.”

Sam flushed bright red. “She doesn’t like alphas that way.”

“Sorry pal.” Dean was sympathetic. He and Sammy had the same problem, they were high alphas and that tended to scare people away. “But other fish in the sea and all that?”

“Sure.” Sam smiled, it was almost real. “So how about it, do I say yes to the job?”

“You swear it won’t interfere with your work?” Dean gave him a stern look.

“Yes Dad.” Sam rolled his eyes. “Promise.”

“Okay then take the job.” Dean grinned as Sam shouted yes. His phone beeped. He grabbed it. 

 _Stop by the office. Got some work. B_.

“Woot, shift manager, looks like my hours are finally getting sorted. Want to go to the range this weekend?” Dean asked. 

“Yeah.” Sam loved going with Dean.

“Awesome.” Dean finished his toast and put his plate in the sink. “Gonna shower and then meet the manager, you need a lift to Uni?”

“Nah, class isn’t until 2 today, I’ll take the bus later.” 

“K.” Dean ruffled Sam’s hair and went to grab a shower.

An hour later he was in Balthazar’s office. He sort of hated the fake front, too fancy for his tastes, but he actually liked Balthazar’s space. “What’s up? Not usually you calling.”

Balthazar pointed at his missing chunk of ceiling. “That’s what’s up, or a lack of up.” 

“What happened?” Dean stared.

“Cas needed to catch them all.” 

Dean laughed. “Okay so, no need to yell at people until they piss themselves then?”

“No. I know you know basic repairs and what not, 250 dollars plus I cover supplies, can you fix my ceiling?” Balthazar asked. 

That would cover their phone and cable bills for the month. “Yeah, I can do that sir.” 

“Balth.” He handed a credit card to Dean. “Go get whatever you need, and grab yourself a coffee or lunch on me as well. New diner across the street from the Rona, why don’t you bring us all some food, my treat?” 

“Sounds good. You a picky eater, you seem like a picky eater.” 

“The pickiest. Have fun guessing.” 

“Asshole.” But Dean was grinning. He actually liked Balthazar a fair bit, especially in comparison to a few of the others. 

He was walking out the front and realized that Cas was sitting at his desk. He shuffled his feet a little. “Oh uh, hey Castiel.”

“Mr. Winchester.” Cas didn’t look up from his computer. “I understand you are going to fix our ceiling.”

“Yeah, should only take a few days.”

“We look forward to your company. I will put out extra cookies in the morning.”

Dean froze a little. He couldn’t figure out if it was Cas being polite, or the omega was trying to offer to feed the alpha. “I like chocolate chip.”

“You get whatever girl guide specimens we have left over.”

“That works too.” Dean smiled. “I’m getting supplies and lunch, what would you like me to bring you?”

“A sandwich of a dead cow variety. With a sesame bun, lettuce, tomato, ketchup.” Cas paused his typing. “You may be adventurous with the choice of cheese.”

“So you want a burger. Fries?”

“They get in the way of the burger.”

“Will do.” Dean gave a salute and Cas ignored it.

Once Dean was gone Cas went into Balth’s office. He put his knuckles down on the desk and gave his best I can kill you with my pinkie look. “Are you attempting to make Dean Winchester and I one of your perfect matches?”

Balthazar looked up at Cas. “He is quite pretty.”

“Balthazar, this is not the time for your ‘humour.’” Cas leaned over the desk. “Are you setting me up?”

“No.”

“Do you swear on your antique martini set that you aren’t setting me up with any alpha?” 

“I swear.” Balthazar crossed his heart. “Hope to die and everything.” 

“He flirted with me.” Cas flopped into a chair and crossed his arms and looked 12.

“You are handsome, of an appropriate enough age, and a strong omega. He likes strong.” 

“Appropriate enough?”

“He likes them older.” Balthazar grinned and wiggled his brows. “He likes people with experience.”

“Then why is he looking at me?” Cas tilted his head a little confused.

Balthazar opened his mouth. And closed it again. “Nope, we’ll just set that aside.”

“I could smell him, but couldn’t quite place it.” Cas admitted. “My ability to scent was mostly killed by government issued blockers.”

“Remind me to have Lucifer destroy the careers of your former superiors. He owes me a favour.” Balthazar looked at him. “Dean smells...like comfort, security, but for a high alpha a certain willing to submit.” Balthazar snorted a little. “Bet he’d be a service top. Don’t ask. He smells of winter, of spices and of fire. He’s looking for the wrong things in a mate, when he looks at all.” 

Cas thought of the files they had collected for their project. “No one matches what you think he needs.”

“Oh no, there is one match in there.” Balthazar finished his paper airplane and sent it flying. Cas caught it without even looking.

 

 

“What the hell Balth?” Dean came storming back in, with a few bags of food. “This food better be goddamn worth it, because that fry cook was a fucking asshole.”

“Benny?” Balthazar was a little surprised. “He’s gruff, but not an asshole.”

“Seemed like one to me.” Dean grumbled. “Sarcastic mother fucker.”

“So he got one up on you, and you hated that?”

“Oh shut up and eat your salad, Balth.” Dean tossed him a bag. His voice softened. “Got you a burger and a milkshake, Cas. You uh, smell like you should be stacking calories.” Dean paled at the glare he was given. “Or you don’t. Or it isn’t any of my business. Right, I’m just going to sit here and eat my sandwich and then fix your ceiling.” Dean sat in the chair and pulled out the pulled pork on a pretzel bun. “Oh come on! A guy that annoying shouldn’t be this good a cook. Son of a bitch.”

Balthazar just smiled. “Wait until you try the pie.”

 

Donna stared at her computer and the lack of emails. She was bummed that Balthazar had transferred her to the other company. Charlie had been nice, but she seemed to rely on her computer program. Balthazar seemed like he was the sort who matched personally. Plus the beta had been all sorts of attractive. She would climb him like a tree, but didn’t think he was looking for her sort.

There was a commotion at the front and Donna went to help subdue the alpha who was hopped up of some stimulants. She kicked him in the balls and was rewarded by him puking all over her. Fuck it she was taking an hour of personal time and cutting out early. She went to the showers and scrubbed down, putting her uniform in a biohazard bag for cleaning. She went to her locker and realized the only clothes she had were the ripped jeans, tank top, and leather jacket. Her broke down alpha clothes, that her last omega had said made her look like she was play acting at being in charge.

But she put them on and took her hair down. She clocked out and decided to go for a walk. She absolutely wasn’t thinking about stopping by Hearts Entwined to see if Balthazar would maybe take her back on.

It was actually quite nice out and she saw the gelato place and thought why not, one scoop in a cup would be nice.

She ended up in line behind a man about her height ordering what seemed every flavour ever. She rolled her eyes a little as he made the young girl working hustle as he sampled every flavour and debated toppings. After his third “maybe I should -”

“Maybe you should stop making the poor girl’s life difficult and just finish your damn order and help move the line along. Also give a decent tip for all those samples you took.”

Both the girl and the man ordering stared at Donna in shock. In fact the whole room stared at Donna in shock. She didn’t think she had been that loud. And then she realized the vanilla waffle cone smell was the man and not the counter.

She was in alpha gear, and just yelled at a strange omega. In public.

She watched him look around quickly and smiled a little smirk, before he began to cry on command. “I’m sorry, Alpha. I just...I just wanted some, and it all looked so pretty, but you’re right, it is too much, and I need to keep my body pretty for alphas.” He began to sniffle in earnest.

Donna was impressed that an actual tear fell and that he was managing to make his scent vaguely distressed but not afraid. 

The girl clearly ran to get a manager and Donna held her hands up in peace. “I’m impressed, not going to lie. But you better fucking tip the poor girl for pulling this bullshit show.” Donna growled just a little.

She was pleased that she managed to surprise the omega, if just for a second. She winked at him and was shocked when his scent spiked a little, but it wasn’t distress.

The manager hurried out, a nervous beta and stammered a little as he asked her to leave. Donna nodded. “I’m sorry, so very sorry.” She hurried out of the shop. Forget checking in with Balthazar she was going to Jo’s bar and getting a shot of whiskey, maybe two.

 

Benny was sitting at Jo’s, bitching about a customer who had come in. Jo poured him another shot and dropped some onion rings in front of him. “Eat up big guy. Not as good as yours, but they’ll do.” She also handed over a jar of hot sauce knowing he liked some kick. “So what did annoying customer do?”

“Just annoying is all. Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.” Benny shrugged and ate an onion ring. “Darling, why won’t you run away with me?”

“Because you couldn’t keep up with me. Plus not a fan of what you do in your off hours.” Jo raised a brow.

Benny scratched his beard. “I’m careful.” 

“House always wins Benny.”

“Paid the diner mortgage last month. And next when you gamble away the electricity bill?” She smacked him up the head. “Why couldn’t you be happy being our fry cook?”

“You sound more like your mom everyday.”

“Oh you take that back.”

“Make me.”

Jo just snatched his glass and remaining onion rings away.

“Well now isn’t this cute?” Jo and Benny turned to the voice.

“This is a private conversation.” Jo said sharply.

“Then don’t be so loud.” The woman moved closer. “Benny right?”

“Yeah.”

“Hear you know the old man out of Maryland.”

“Don’t know no one by that name.” Benny’s scent had risen and Jo edged her way to where the shotgun was. 

“Blondie you won’t reach the gun before I gut you.”

Benny growled and slammed the woman against the bar. “You don’t threaten my friends.”

“Meg.” The woman added helpfully.

“You don’t threaten my friends, Meg. Especially considering a good number of cops hang out here.”

Meg held up her hands. “Easy big tough alpha. I’m just here to pass on a message. Lucifer is willing to foot your tab with Gabriel for a month if you have any intel on the old man.”

“I don’t get in bed with your boss’s sort.”

“Oh sweetie, should have checked that contract you signed with Gabriel. Once you are in with one Shurley, you are in with them all. Now you coming?” 

“Yeah, even if just to get you out of here.” Benny snarled.

Meg winked at Jo. “See you blondie.”

“Go to hell.”

“Oh sweetie, that’s where I live.” Meg straightened her clothes and sauntered out, Benny trailing after her.

 

Benny sat in Lucifer’s office and stared at the secretary. “Son, how much red bull have you had?” 

“Not enough.” The kid glared. “I have finals soon.”

“You’ll ace them well enough. And you are just on loan from Gabriel like this fine gentleman.” Lucifer smiled and sat in his wingback. “My usual secretary is away on vacation and Meg takes dreadful notes.”

“It’s true, writing is worse than a doctor.”

“Such a cliche.” the boy muttered.

“Hey kid, when I leave, I’ll make sure you walk out the door with me.” Benny promised. 

“Thanks, but I’m fine.” He shrugged. “Too valuable to Gabe for politics boy here to actually hurt me. Kevin by the way.” 

“Benny.”

“Lovely pleasantries.” Lucifer clapped his hands. “Now let’s talk about what you remember about Maryland.” 

Benny sighed, this was going to take a while. 

3 hours later he left with Kevin in tow. “Want me to drop you somewhere kid?”

“The university? I need something at the bookstore.”

“Hey Sam, how was your first shift?” Dean shouted from the couch when he heard the door open.

Sam came in and flopped across the couch, head on Dean’s lap. “Good, until some asian kid hopped up on energy drinks yelled at me for not knowing where this one history textbook was, and then same kid didn’t ask the bus driver to wait for me when he saw me hauling ass to make it.”

“Want a beer?”

“No.”

“Want a cookie?”

“No.”

“Want a puppy?”

“YES.”

Dean flipped the channel to the dog whisperer. Sam scowled but watched the dogs.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Balthazar was sitting in his apartment and staring at his board. He had decided to take a page from kids these days and made a mood board. It had all his potential people on it and the ones he was sure were a match and ones that had some wiggle room and back up plans. 

He heard a knock and grabbed his wallet thinking it was his Thai food.

It was, but it was also Cas. “I bought your food. Give me a spring roll.”

“Hello to you too, Castiel.”

“My impending heat has me cranky and hungry.” Cas walked in and set the bags down. “I thought about being miserable alone, but it would be much for fun to share the misery with you.”

“I could have had plans.”

“You haven’t had plans in weeks.” Cas did his stare into your soul thing. “Why hasn’t anyone written a derogatory word about your sexual proclivities on your car in weeks?”

“This bet has me busy. Are you drinking right now?” 

“No, not good with how everything else is feeling.” 

Balthazar went to the kitchen are returned with cutlery, plates and two glasses of club soda. They sat beside each other on the couch and ate in silence and stared at the board. 

“You have matches on there that are wrong.” Cas said as he studied the lines. 

“I know, but they are place holders. Fine but not perfect. Kevin and Krissy would be okay, but more likely she’d murder him in his sleep after a year and call it a mercy killing.” Balthazar shrugged. “Besides he needs someone who understands and loves academics but isn’t swallowed whole by it.”

“What like the younger Mister Winchester?” Castiel joked. He looked at Balthazar who had gone blank. “That was a joke. How would they even fuck with that height difference?”

“They’d figure it out.” Balthazar said. “They are perfect together. You are a genius Cas.” Balthazar put down his plate and went to his board to change it up and add Sam. He was so proud that the fake business was rubbing off on Cas, but also annoyed that he had missed such an obvious pick, but he had only met Sam once and very briefly. Dean was very careful to keep Sam away from all of them.

Cas stole most of the food Balthazar had abandoned. “Why is the heat taking so long? Why won’t it just take over my body and soul and then abandon me like everything else?”

“Because you suppressed it for years and don’t have a mate or prospective mate to trigger it. So slouching towards Bethlehem darling.” Balthazar looked at the board pleased and went back to the couch. “Gabe’s been searching my place for notes. Hasn’t found this yet though and I destroyed all the cameras he tried to sneak in.”

“Good for you.” Cas snarked.

Balthazar touched his forehead. “You are warm. Have you considered a care house?”

“No. I don’t know them. I don’t want someone I don’t know touching me.” Cas said fiercely. “A stranger touches me right now, i’ll probably rip their arm off.” 

“Well you always have little old me.” Balthazar teased. “I knew you wouldn’t, so I called the sex shop, a basket will be at your house tomorrow. Glad you have that small place, less likely to attractive any stray alphas.”

“I could take them out.” Castiel glowered.

“I am aware, but digging graves is murder on my manicure.” Balthazar smiled. “Take the rest of the week off, it will be hitting you very soon.”

“How can you be sure?”

“My nose always knows.” 

Cas nodded. “I’ll leave you be. Thanks for the food. You are tolerable company.”

“My prince charming. Be careful, you’ll turn a damsel’s head with those words.” Balthazar stayed sitting and waved Cas out. “Don’t worry I’ll behave.” He promised.

He went back to looking at his board. The best thing he could do while Cas was off was tail all his potential subjects, get a feel for them.

Should be easy.

Of course it wasn’t easy, he was horrible at lurking, especially when a good deal of the people he was following had experience being followed. So he decided subtlety had never been his strong suit anyways.

He went to Benny’s diner and sat at the counter. It looked a little sticky so he gave it a quick wipe. “Benny.”

“Hey Balthazar.” Benny said easily. “I don’t owe anyone and Lucifer said he was done with me too.”

“This isn’t business. After I sign off on you as a family client, I tend to be done with you. What I am not done with is your food.” Benny looked at the special. “Sweet potato fries and ham sandwich sounds lovely.”

“Sure.” Benny said easily. He slipped into French without thinking about it and Balthazar responded in kind. Their dialects were a little off, but they enjoyed the conversation while Balthazar ate. A steady stream came in and ordered to go containers.

“You know, looks like you are growing a quality business here.”

“Coming along, coming along.” Benny sighed. “The place could use a decent paint though, but can’t exactly afford to pay properly.”

Balthazar looked at him. “Dean Winchester, Gabriel’s enforcer likes picking up spare cash under the table. He’s been repairing my ceiling and just about done. I could send him your way?”

Benny looked at him. “That the cocky alpha from the other day?”

“You remember him? I’d imagine you get all sorts through here.”

“Yeah, I remember him. Seems like the sort who does crap work and then intimidates people so they just pay him.”

Balthazar looked at him. “Dean is quality all the way.” He voice was steady, even.

Benny knew that voice meant business. “Your ceiling looks decent when it’s done, maybe I’ll see about hiring him.”

“Good. I love bringing people together.” Balthazar grinned.

Benny laughed and shook his head. “Suppose you do at that mon ami.”

Balthazar left a good tip and walked out.

Dean and Benny were perfect for each other, no matter what some people still said about alpha/alpha couples. Now he just had to get them to realize it.

“Balthazar, why are you following me?” Donna asked as she walked around the food market. “Lunch break, trying to enjoy it.”

Balthazar handed her a cookie. “Trust me, these are the best shortbread here.” 

Donna took it and bit in. “Oh my god, what is that?”

“Lavender.” He took a bite of his own cookie. “How has Charlie been treating you? Any good matches?”

“Couple emails, one date that was fine, but not right. Guy was a little too into the uniform.” Donna shrugged and pushed her glasses up. “Charlie is sweet and trying hard.”

Balthazar nodded. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I had a man come in, and he seemed like he might be a match for you. He still needs to fill in his questionnaire, but he is a definite possibility. Mind if I ask you a couple questions?” He pointed at a table.

Donna sat down and he went to get them some iced tea. She took a sip and continued to eat the cookie. “So what’s up?”

“Well first off, I know some of this will be repetitive, but I didn’t keep your file after I passed it off to Charlie, so just want to go over it.” Balthazar pulled out a notebook for show. “Now, do you prefer alphas, betas, or omegas?”

Donna spluttered a little. “You don’t mind if people?” she didn't quite finish the sentence.

“Not at all, people match who they match.” Balthazar replied easily.

“Omegas. I don’t mind betas, but I’ve always been most attracted to omegas, want to take care of someone. Not old fashioned like, just you know, that extra little push?”

“I understand. Male or female?”

“Either is good, but I lean towards men.” Donna started to crumble the cookie.

“Looks?”

Donna shook her head.

Balthazar touched her hand. “Donna, what is it?”

“I don’t think I’m a great alpha.” She smiled a little. “I’m okay, but come on whoever you think you might have for me, there is probably better out there.”

Balthazar felt his heart melt at her lack of confidence, it would be a nice balance to Gabriel’s over confidence. “I think you are an alpha who has a steady job, a kind smile, and clearly a heart a mile wide.”

“Golden eyes.” Donna blurted out. “I like golden eyes. Height don’t care, same with hair. Just golden eyes.”

“Donna Hascum, would you consider becoming my client again? I promise, it will very much be worth your while.”

“You betcha.”

Balthazar was getting his ducks in a row and was pleased with his progress and concerned that Gabriel hadn’t been interfering. It meant trouble was brewing.

More troubling was the lack of even a bizarre text from Cas.

He didn’t dare stop by Castiel’s place, the man valued his privacy way too much. But maybe a phone call wouldn’t be too much. It went to voicemail and Balthazar left a vague checking on you message. It made him feel marginally better.

Time to approach Meg.

“Meg, are you willing to let me match make you to your perfect match to fuck over Gabriel in a bet?” Balthazar asked when he entered Meg’s office.

“Yup.” Meg replied, “I like Ruby.”

“No.”

“Well I do, she’s hot and fit and scary.”

“Yes, I am aware but you are too much alike. It is too much evil and your scents don’t connect at all.”

“I’m a beta, my scent won’t connect with anyone because it isn’t there.” Meg didn’t look up from the report she was cutting paper dolls out of.

“You have a scent. Rage, passion, a streak of caring you try to bury down deep. It is why you smell like scorched earth. Just a little bit.”

Meg actually looked up at him. “Shit. Do anyone them know you?” The four always dismissed the cousins who worked for the family, called them necessary but ultimately uninteresting.

“Gabriel almost does, because we spend the most time together. Michael is too busy running everything, your boss thinks he knows everything, and Raphael…”

“Is Raphael.” Meg concluded. No one had a handle on him.

“Indeed.”

“Benny sometimes hangs out at this bar, I had to go collect him for Lucifer there.” Meg blushed just a little. “There was a blonde. She had a shotgun.”

“I’ll go check it out.” Balthazar agreed.

“Good, now get gone loser.”

Balthazar smiled and left. Meg was softening these days.

It was 2am and his phone was ringing. That meant someone in the family killed someone and he had to help with a body, or Gabriel went to Vegas again and was hopped up on sugar and craps tables.

“Yeah what?” Balthazar didn’t bother with manners at 2am.

The phone was quiet. Family would have gotten to the point. Still quiet, just the sound of harsh breathing.

“Castiel, are you hurt?” Balthazar kept his voice calm and low.

“Yes.” More harsh breaths. “No.” More silence. “I thought you said the toys would help.”

“Did you read the instructions?”

“Of course I read the instructions. And looked up things on the internet. I am asking you about the pizza man later.” 

Balthazar wasn’t even going to ask. “Are you following the instructions?”

The silence is different this time. 

“I don’t want a knot.” Cas finally said. “I don’t want an alpha, and I don’t want a knot.”

“Oh, Cassie.” Balthazar sighed. “You might not want it, but your body needs it. Are you fucking yourself on the dildos without inflating the knot or putting the knot inside you?”

Cas just whimpered. “I don’t like heats.”

“Of course you don’t sweetie, if you are making yourself suffer like this. It is biology love, not your mind and heart.” Balthazar lay back down. “Are you at least comfortable?”

“I am naked in bed if that is what you mean. The sheets are getting a little gross and encrusted.”

“Towels. Put a towel under yourself.” Balthazar suggested. “Drink some juice and then when the next wave hits you, actually use the dildos properly. Good night Castiel.”

Balthazar waited for Castiel to hang up.

“Stay?”

He had never heard the man sound needy before. “Very well. Things are moving forward on our perfect match plans.”

“No, not talking about other people in love, not when -”

“Not when what, Cassie?”

“Never mind.” 

Balthazar could hear Cas moving about on his bed, the breaths that were growing thicker. “Cas are you in the middle of a wave right now?”

“Just talk to me. About anything but this.” Cas’s voice was ragged, desperate. “Please Balthazar, for once in your shallow existence, reach into that kind core you try so hard to hide and make it fucking better.”

“Tide pools.” Balthazar blurted out.

“What?”

“I love tide pools. They are magic.” Balthazar smiled. “You have these small little pockets that contain whole universes really. Creatures that are seemingly weak but surprisingly defended and if you are patient, you can just see so much possibility in them. Did you know star fish are the most symmetrical of all creatures? Even the ones with forty arms, the sun stars, can be cut into five equal pieces?” 

“Why would I cut it into five equal pieces?”

“It is just a theoretical, Castiel. I like their symmetry. I told my family I was going on a tour of microbrews but once I took a two week vacation exploring tide pools in Washington and British Columbia. There are supposed to be amazing ones to be found in New Zealand. Maybe I’ll go one day.” Balthazar talked about everything he had seen and learned.

“It doesn’t fit.” Cas said quietly.

“Don’t try to force it in. Just rock it in and out and steadily press the knot against your hole. Each push in just a little more pressure. Once it is in it will help I promise.”

“Just, don’t go anywhere. Don’t run away.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“You seem like the sort who runs.”

“So do you.”

“Are we running together?” Castiel’s voice was curious, a bit pain filled.

Balthazar didn’t answer that. “Would you like me to sing to you?”

“You sing?”

“Everyone sings, just some do it better than others.” 

There was a bit of quiet, Balthazar could just hear the sounds of Castiel working himself over. 

“Please, Balth.” 

“Shhhh, just listen.” Balthazar began to sing  _ la vie en rose _ and lead from that into  _ je ne regrette rein _ . He sang a few more old french songs, and knew the second that Cas came. He ignored his own erection. “Better?”

“What do I smell like Balthazar?” Cas asked after a few minutes.

“Eternal possibility. And water lilies.”

Cas hung up without saying goodbye. Balthazar put his own phone down and went to have a cold shower.


	6. Chapter 6

3 days later, Castiel returned to the office, they looked at each other for what felt like forever without saying a word. 

“I gave a favourable review to that sex shop online. I used that 100 emoji and a thumb’s up.”

“Good.” Balthazar smiled. “Let’s go stalk a college freshman.”

“You do know how to turn an omega’s head.”

“I’ll even buy you a hot dog from a vendor.” Balthazar promised as he grabbed his blazer.

“Take me to the diner, I crave Benny’s burgers.” 

Balthazar shrugged. They drove over to the diner and saw Dean measuring the outside walls and making notes. “Got the job I take it?”

“Yeah, guy is clueless, but if I left it to him this place would be like a fuck ugly green or something.” Dean rolled his eyes. “For a man that can cook, knows how to put stuff together, bloody moron.” The tone was somewhere between angry and amused.

They went in and Castiel ordered a double burger and Balthazar had a wrap. Benny brought the food over and bitched about Dean the whole time they ate. By the time they left Benny had migrated outside and just switched to straight up bickering with Dean.

“How is that going to turn into perfect match mates Balthazar. I was waiting for one of them to behead the other.”

“Because Cas, either of them could have walked away from it, neither quite realized that they were having fun.” Balthazar tossed Cas his phone. “I hacked the university’s computers and have Kevin’s schedule, look up where he is going to be.”

“You aren’t concerned at all that we are stalking a minor?”

“He’s not, actually. He took a year off in between high school and university. There were issues. But he’s 19, so makes us a little less creepy.” Balthazar pulled into the parking lot. “So where do we go?”

“Intro Chemistry. I would have thought he’d have the AP class for that.”

“No he missed it doing Physics and Biology. His student file was very...robust, when I looked up him up.” Balthazar sighed. “Can’t believe he was so sure he could beat the house odds.”

“I thought you convinced Gabriel to hire him, instead of letting him gamble.”

“Gabriel lets him gamble with 50% of his salary to test the systems.” Balthazar looked around the campus. “Oh god, people wear pajamas as clothes.”

“Like your v-necks qualify as clothes.”

“Yes but at least I’m always colour co-ordinated. Good god.” Balthazar shuddered a little. “Let’s go find the kid, steer him towards the bookshop.”

It took them a while to track Kevin down and then they had to be not noticed. “Wouldn’t he remember what you look like?”

“No, I was wearing a hat and sunglasses the day we met.”

“Why?”

“Because it was sunny and makes me look romantic, Castiel. We can’t all wear the same shirt and tie everyday and pull it off.”

“This shirt has a cuff that is a quarter inch wider.” 

“Alert the press.” Balthazar peeked around the tree. “Oh, we’re on the move.” They followed Kevin trying to figure out where he was going.

Only Balthazar hadn’t exactly inherited Raphael’s stealthiness and when Kevin went around a corner, they lost him, or rather he lost them.

But Campus security didn’t. “Sirs, we are going to escort you to the edge of university property where you can have a lovely conversation with an officer.”

Castiel glared at them. “Public property, we can be here.” He was clearly ready to go into fight mode.

Balthazar noticed the building right behind the security. “Of course, we are happy to leave. Come along Castiel.”

“I don’t understand.” 

“I’ll explain later. Come on just get moving.” Balthazar dragged Castiel along, the security walking behind them. He saw the cop car and figured they were going to get some boring lecture and then realized that one of the officers was Donna. “Well this is perfectly convenient. Castiel, I would suggest running away right now.” 

“No.” Castiel said simply.

“Last chance, Cassie.” Balthazar was about ten feet away from Donna, who waved at him. Balthazar waved back. “Okay then.”

He turned to the one security guard. “Fucking omega trash thinking they can boss me around, tell me what to do?” And he slugged the man. Castiel shrugged and picked up the other security guard and threw him a good ten feet.

“Hey!” Donna came over and put Balthazar on his knees. “What the hell?” She slapped cuffs on him, and her partner took care of Castiel. Donna yelled at him the whole time she stuffed him in the back of the squad car.

The lecture continued through all of processing. When she wound down, all he said was, “I’d like my phone call. Gabriel Shurley, please.”

Cas looked at him. “Really? Really?”

“He is technically a lawyer.”

“I’m technically a Major.”

“Don’t you love technicalities?” Balthazar was positively cheerful.

“I’m having a nap, while I wait for the universe to implode at a Shurley in a police station from the legal side.” 

Kevin’s heart was racing as he watched security escort the two men away. He thought for a moment that the one seemed familiar, but he remembered everyone he met. Well most everyone.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Kevin didn’t even think, he was still so nervous from the men that as he turned he swung out with his backpack and hit the person. 

“Ow.” The alpha said, only it didn’t make him do more than flinch. Kevin had 2 Nortons in that bag, he almost toppled over carrying it, and this guy just said ow?

And then he realized that it was just that giant, clueless moose who worked inventory and yet knew where nothing was.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Where’s Jess?” Kevin asked. The manager was nice and would make him a cup of tea in the tiny breakroom for his nerves.

“She got called away. It’s me really. Quiet in the store right now.” The giant scratched his neck and Kevin caught the scent of alpha. He breathed in again, shit high alpha. 

“So I’m going then. Bye.” High alphas were scary as fuck. He had met one during his bad year and he preferred to avoid them at all costs.

“Wait!” There was just a hint of alpha command in it and Kevin froze and realized just how empty the bookstore was. The alpha went behind the counter and came back with...a water bottle and a cookie. “I think something happened, but I get it, I’m a stranger, so uh here. I hope this helps.” He awkwardly thrust out the offering. “The cookie is vegan, but not too dry, I swear. My brother ate it and said it didn’t suck, which trust me is high praise.”

Kevin reached out and took the offered food. He smiled a little at how happy the alpha looked to have helped. “Thanks, uh, Ashley.”

“Huh?” The alpha looked really confused.

“You name tag says Ashley and that your favourite book is Gone with the Wind.” Kevin flat out laughed at the horror on the alpha’s face.

“No, it’s Sam. And god no, my favourite is Hitchhiker's Guide.”

“Kevin.” Kevin realized he needed to get across campus and took off in a hurry. He missed Sam’s wave goodbye.

Gabriel was wearing a t-shirt that had Basic Bitch written in glitter on it, under his Tom Ford suit. He thought it a nice look for the police station. He clapped his hands in glee. Balthazar always flew under the radar and he had gotten arrested, it was bloody Christmas.

He sauntered in. “I’m here to see about the release of Balthazar Shurley and Castiel Novak.” He tried for his sweetest smile. The front clerk did not care, just handed him a pass and told him to find Officer Hascum, somewhere down there.

Gabriel walked through the bullpen and nodded at the detective in the suit who was on Michael’s payroll. He read nameplates until he found the right desk and sat in front of it to wait for the officer. He pulled a lollipop out of his pocket, wondered if he should play distressed or angry at Balthazar. Choices, choices. He could also leave Balthazar in, it would be helpful since he hadn’t actually had a chance to mess up his cousin’s plans. 

Balthazar was surprisingly crafty. Maybe Dad had been right and they all underestimated him. He was curious about what was under the alcohol and smirks that they hadn’t noticed.

“Ah jeez, what are you doing here?”

Gabriel looked at the woman who sat at the desk. “I’m sorry?”

“You, ice cream, man. Why are you at my desk?”

“I don’t know you.” Gabriel was sure of it. He made sure to avoid cops. He breathed in a little, especially alpha cops.

“Has all the sugar rotted your brain?” Donna rolled her eyes. “Divine Gelato. Tell me you actually left the girl a good tip.”

Gabriel’s brain clicked in. “20%.” He promised. “You look different not in the all black.”

“You look different without the diabetes bowl in front of you.”

“Do you know who I am?” Gabriel huffed.

“A basic bitch?” Donna asked with a smile.

Gabriel got ready to lay into her, but that detective made a slashing motion. Shit, an honest cop, who didn’t know who the Shurley’s were? “Gabriel Shurley actually. Here to collect Balth and Cas.” He smiled and tried to project innocent and worried omega.

“You can act better than that.” She leaned forward. “My turf now, so you cut the stage show. Want to tell me why Balthazar, who’s always seemed like a great guy hauled off and his a security guard?” She looked at her file. “Cas is playing his actions off as ptsd, but that doesn’t feel right. What’s he got ptsd from?”

Gabriel’s jaw hardened. “From fucking war, alpha. He was a major in the Rangers, so how about you give him some respect.”

“Oh. You do care about stuff.” Donna said. Her scent went calm and Gabriel hated that it was making him relax. “I’m sorry. Cas seems pretty swell. But Balthazar started all this.”

Gabriel laughed. “Maybe someone mixed his martini wrong."

  
“Don’t be mean, he’s a sweetie pie.” 

“How do you even know him?” Gabe was curious.

Donna blushed a little and Gabriel was absolutely not charmed. “He’s my matchmaker.”

“He passes everyone off to Charlie.” Gabriel winced, he wasn’t supposed to say that. Why the fuck did he say that to a bloody cop?

“He did, but said he found someone for me.” Donna shrugged. Her scent pinged hopeful, happy.  “He seemed like he is really good at this.”

Gabriel snorted. “Yeah right. He probably got himself arrested to see you in action to make sure you were the perfect match for whoever it is he has on the line.” Gabriel paused mid laugh and realized with growing horror that was probably exactly what he had done. Donna was going to be one of his perfect matches. Gabriel had to put a stop to it. “You know that perfect record of his is zero right?”

Donna just grinned. “Then I get to be his first. That’s exciting.” She called over another person and asked them to collect the two men. 

Gabe started to panic more, he had to break this. “He’s a drunk.”

“No, drinks, not a drunk.” Donna looked at him. “Why you slagging him, when he’s your family?”

“How do you know that?”

“Aside from the same last name, you two have the same smirk.” Donna looked over at Balthazar who was beside the desk. “You’ll have a court date.”

“Michael will take care of it.” Gabe promised. Balthazar looked entirely too smug. And Cas looked confused. So should be normal. But.

“How have you two been getting along?” Balthazar asked cheerfully.

“No.” Gabriel looked at him in dawning realization. “Nonononono.”

Balthazar rocked on his heels and did his best evil laugh.

“Teach me how to do that.” Cas said.

“We are out of here and going to have a long ass talk about your increasing levels of insanity.” Gabriel began to hurry away.

“Hey basic bitch.” Donna yelled. Gabriel turned and caught the thing flying at his face. 

It was another lollipop.

“For the road.” She said a quiet goodbye to Balthazar and Cas.

Gabriel fled the police station in sheer terror. He had to call this bet off.

“Come on Cassie, we have a bar to check out.”

“Will we get arrested there too?”

“Hmmmm, unlikely.” Balthazar said after a moment.

The bar was pretty close to Benny’s diner and rather divey. “Well, this is something.” Balthazar said.

“Try not to sneer so much.” Cas walked in and saw the man asleep on the pool table. “Okay, you may sneer.”

“Awww, boys, don’t be mean, Ash had a hard night.” An older woman stood behind the bar. Balthazar sat down. “Let me guess, martini?”

“Two olives, very dry.” 

She put the bottle of gin in front of him. “Dry enough for you?” She added a glass.

“Indeed.”

“I’ll have a beer.” Cas said, it seemed the safest option. She pulled the top off for one and put it in front of him.

The bartender left them alone and Balthazar was confused. Meg wouldn’t be interested in that woman, the woman smelled mated for one, and just didn’t seem Meg’s type.

“Shit, mom, sorry.” A young blonde girl said as she came in. She had that soft scent of a beta, but it carried with it a strong wind and rain. Perfect. Now hopefully she had a thing for women who were 92% evil.

“Hello there young lady.”

“I’m not interested in a guy who looks like I should ask about stds before we even kiss.” 

Balthazar looked at Cas. “You do sometimes give off a slutty vibe.” Cas said.

“Should I be insulted?” Balthazar asked.

“No, your sluttiness is honest and a part of your charm.”

Balthazar smiled. “You think I have charm.”

Cas just shrugged and drank his beer.

“Hey, I’m sorry, get lots of jackasses hitting on me. But clear you two are a thing. I’m Jo, this is my place.”

“Jo, I’m going to be straightforward with you. I’m a matchmaker,” Balthazar put on of his cards on the table. “I know someone perfect for you.”

“Pull the other leg.”

“He’s not lying. We are ‘love experts’” Cas drew out the love. Balthazar choked on his gin. “I know the woman he wants to match you with. How do you feel about knives?”

Jo slid her butterfly knife from the small of her back, did a few showy flicks with it and put it back.

“Jo, I know a beta, she’s mostly evil, incredibly loyal, rather bendy, and a brunette. Come by my office next week if you are interested.” He put 20 down for their drinks and walked away.

Cas rolled his eyes. “Fucking drama llama.”

Jo snorted. 

“But he does know what he’s talking about.” Cas added quietly. 

“Must, I mean seems like he found his perfect match with you right?”

Cas picked up the last of Balthazar’s gin and swallowed it. “Right perfect.” His laugh was empty. He left an additional ten and followed Balthazar out.

Balthazar got home and was completely shocked that Gabriel was sitting on his couch. He fell dramatically back against his door. “Oh my dear lord, you could give a gentleman a heart attack with this sort of surprise.”

“A cop.” Gabriel’s face was hard. “You want to set me up with a cop.”

Balthazar ignored his cousin and hung up his coat and went up to his bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes. He came back down and saw that Gabriel had found his board and was taking it apart.

“You know I have all that information elsewhere?”

“Making a point bottle blond.” Gabriel said. He wiped it all clean. “A fucking cop, Balthazar.”

“Well yes, I did rather hope that you would eventually be fucking the cop - or rather that she’d be fucking you.” Balthazar opened a decanter and held it in invitation but Gabriel ignored that.

“Did you not remember who we are? Who I am?” Gabriel stalked closer but didn’t quite get in his face. “What do you think you are doing, you fucking waste?”

Balthazar very carefully put his decanter down. “I am just trying to win our bet. All you have to do is not fall in love with your perfect match. And since you seem so angry about it, should be simple, right?”

“Of course it’s simple. She’s not a perfect match for me. Because, hello a cop? And I’m like a total super villain.”

“Yes a handful of gambling tables in a back room that you open once a month and being a bookie who intimidates but has never actually broken a single leg is quite terrifying.”

Gabriel was still. “I’m plenty terrifying.”

Balthazar looked at him. “No, you are plenty terrified.”

“Of what? Enlighten me oh great and mighty Balthazar, who has never had a relationship longer than a weekend, who has never tried to be more than the family bitch?” Gabriel crossed his arms, and his scent was dangerous, angry, and Gabriel wouldn’t even realize it, bitter.

Balthazar just smiled. “Do you really think your words can hurt me? Yours? You are the best of them and hide it every day behind cheap suits and cheaper whores and the cheapest jokes. You are smarter than Michael, more clever than Lucifer, and stronger than Raphael and you do nothing with it. You could be the one to walk away, and we both know you’d actually love to. You’d love to teach or bake or do a million other things than the family business but you don’t because you are too scared to rely on yourself.” Balthazar poked Gabriel in the chest. “You want to know why I want to match you with a cop - besides the fact that your scents are perfectly aligned? Because then, then you might admit that our family is a bag of dicks and do right by yourself and stop being a fucking coward.”

“Look who’s talking about cowardice?” Gabriel sneered. “You don’t get to lecture me on that one, cousin.”

“I never said I wasn’t a coward.” Balthazar replied. “I know exactly how little I’m worth.” His smile was sharp. 

“Well then, if that’s the case, why shouldn’t I make sure the family cuts you loose, cuts you down, and take back Cas’s debt and assign him somewhere else? Like I said, Uncle Zach is asking about him.” Gabriel’s eyes widened as Balthazar pushed him into a wall. Balthazar never used physical violence, he didn’t like to ruin his clothes.

He didn’t like to let things matter.

“Gabriel listen to me very carefully. Fuck with my - fuck with Castiel just to prove a point to me and I will hand over each and every file I have on the family and all the dealings to the FBI.” Balthazar snarled. 

“Does the Tin Man have a heart?”

“Does the Lion have courage?” Balthazar asked back.

“The bet is over.” 

“Oh but we have two weeks left.” Balthazar put a little more pressure on the arm. “And our family never ever steps back from a bet. What would your father say? What would your brothers say?”

Gabriel glared at him. “You only have those pairing right? Wasn’t even enough.”

“Like I would put everything up. Plenty of things you haven’t figured out yet.”

“Well, you lost me, I won’t be going near the cop again. And within 72 hours I’ll have wrecked your other plans.” Gabriel smiled. “You know I can do it, I’m the tricky one after all. And then, well then you lose Cas anyways.”

“You fool, you’ve never figured it out have you? He’s never been ours.”

“He owes us 10k, he’s ours just fine.”

“He really isn’t. Go on little man, go make your trouble. I’ll have it all together in the end.” Balthazar stepped back. “Now get out of my place. You smell sad, and pathetic and I don’t want that to linger in the cushions. Silk, you know.”

Gabriel straightened his clothes. “You got nothing.”

“I got enough.”

“We’ll see.” Gabriel stormed out and Balthazar sank into the couch. 

He had nothing.


	7. Chapter 7

“Hey Deano!” Gabe said cheerfully.

Dean put the paintbrush down, he was almost done at Benny’s place, was just doing the finishing trim. “Hey boss, what’s up, a job? You haven’t had any for me in a while.”

“Sure I have.” Gabriel paused. Wait, he actually hadn’t sent Dean out to goon anyone up in… “Huh, you doing okay for money Deano?”

“Yeah, Balthazar’s been finding me some extra work, I’m getting by.” Dean smiled when the door opened. “Besides, Benny’s been feeding me for free while I’ve been painting the place. He ain’t so bad when he learns to keep his mouth shut.”

Benny just rolled his eyes at that and thumped a plate down onto Dean’s work bench. “Get paint on that plate and you’ll be scrubbing them all chief.” He nodded to Gabriel. “Are you and I square?”

“Yup, just here to talk to Dean.” Gabriel smiled at the guy. “But I can give you good odds on this weekend’s game.”

Benny looked at the tension that crept into Dean at those words. He had grown fond of the fellow alpha, thought they were becoming friends. And he had absolutely never noticed Dean’s bowlegs while the man had been painting. Besides what would Dean think, an alpha liking him. Benny’d get the crap beat out of him for sure.

“Nah, Gabriel, got the mortgage covered fine this month. Maybe next month.”

“Sure Benny.” Gabriel smiled easily. He smiled less easily when he noticed that Dean’s eyes followed Benny as he went back into the diner. “So, Deano, I know you’ve had your eye on Cas a little.”

Dean turned sharply to Gabe and he turned red. “He’s nice is all.”

“He’s also shy and still recovering from his exit from the Rangers, but he likes park benches and bees. If you were looking for something to do with him.” Gabriel winked. “Come on man, ask the guy you like out.”

“Why are you being helpful? You are never helpful.”

“That hurts, buddy, right in the feels.”

Dean shook his head. “Call me if you need me yeah?”

“You got it.” Gabriel sauntered off, pleased at the mischief. He walked down a few blocks and heard a commotion, people shouting. Like any concerned citizen he went to rubberneck.

He saw a guy with a gun bolt out of a jewelry store and then.

And then.

Holy shit.

That alpha cop just sort of got in low and flipped the guy. The other officer grabbed the gun that had gotten loose and just...it was an alpha fight all of a sudden in the middle of the street. 

The guy had at least five inches and a hundred pounds on Officer Hascum and she just leveled him. She had him in cuffs in just a few minutes. He bucked and cursed and she just bent his head back and growled.

Gabriel heard more than one omega moan at the display. He could actually feel a little slick dribble. He joined the chorus of moans when she snapped her head up and looked directly at him. 

Donna winked and grinned as she hauled the criminal up.

Gabriel flat out ran in the other direction.

Making sure Meg wasn’t matched up was easy, he just asked Lucifer to send her away on a job for a couple of weeks.

That left Kevin. Gabriel decided to go the concerned uncle route. He had Kevin come in for a meeting and they talked numbers a bit and then Gabriel asked about school and pretend to care when Kevin talked about his last exams.

“Hey, by the way do you know,” Gabriel began and then he laughed. “Sorry, big campus, don’t know why you would know one guy, especially one going into fourth year.”

“Might, what’s his name?” Kevin asked.

“Sam. He’s like this giant moose. Longish brown hair, bit of scruff, high alpha?”

Kevin’s eyes widened. “Yeah, actually I do know him a little, he works at the bookstore. I’m at the bookstore a lot.”

“Oh, that’s good. I wouldn’t want you to, never mind, you’re a smart kid, I’m sure you’ve figured it out.”

“Of course,” Kevin said automatically. “But, you know, maybe you should tell me, might give me a different perspective.”

“No, it’s nothing, just you know he’s Dean’s little brother right?” Gabe said casually.

“Didn’t.” Kevin thought about it. “Dean’s your muscle.”

“Yeah, and I mean he loves his brother, and he’s a good guy. And I’m sure his problems with violence and omegas, is a thing of the past.” Gabriel shook his head. “Youth right? And they got those records sealed. I’m sure he’s not at all scary to an omega like you so much smaller than him, without the years of hand to hand training that he has on top of being a high alpha. Don’t think anything about it.”

“Right. Won’t think about it. Can I go now?” Kevin was wound extra tight now.

Good. “Sure, kid. See you next month.” Gabriel waved him off.

Let’s see Balthazar win the bet now.

Balthazar was in his office going over his notes and heard their door open. He thought he recognized the timbre of the voice, that it was Dean, so he ignored it. About twenty minutes later the door opened again and there was silence.

“Come in Cas.” Balthazar put his book down.

“Dean Winchester just asked me out on a date.” Cas sat in a chair very precisely. “A high alpha just asked me out to go walk around a garden.” Cas gave him a dead look. “Balthazar, an alpha asked me out.”

Balthazar let go of his pen, worried it would explode from the pressure he was putting on it. “Are you going?”

Cas tilted his head. “Should I?”

“You don’t like alphas very much right now.”

“Gabriel sent me an email. He said Dean was a good guy and that I should consider that not all alphas are like the ones from my old job. That I needed to live me life. He even suggested that if I went on this one date, he would cut my debt in half.” 

Balthazar was going to kill Gabriel. He was going to kill everyone in his family.

“Are our scents compatible?” Cas asked.

Balthazar closed his eyes. And he let go, wasn’t like Cas was his after all. Castiel deserved everything. “They aren’t not compatible.”

“But we’re not a perfect match.”

“No, but...you could be very happy together.” Balthazar tried not to stumble over the words too much. He opened his eyes and looked at Cas, who as ever was wearing his stoic face. “I just want you to be happy Cassie.”

Castiel nodded and stood. “Thank you.”

“So, when’s the date?” Balthazar asked. “You’ll want to hide those sex toys if you take him home.”

“I turned him down. I don’t date children.”

“He’s 26, not so young.” Balthazar replied.

“Too young for me Balth. He’s good, but too earnest for me. He would want to worship me.” Cas looked Balthazar dead in the eye. “That’s not what I need from a mate.”

“A little worship and care wouldn’t be a bad thing.” 

“I suppose. He’d want children Balth and I’m selfish. If I took a mate, I’d want it just to be us. Maybe a cat. So I won’t lead him on.”

“If you lead him on a little, you could get your debt decreased, get out of here sooner like you always wanted.” Balthazar couldn’t seem to shut up.

“Job hunting would be a bitch, I’m fine right where I am.” There was another of those intense stares before Cas turned and left.

Balthazar grabbed his blazer and left. He needed a drink well away from here.

Balthazar had no idea why he went to that divey bar, he had many classier haunts to go to. Jo took one look at him and poured him a very large glass of something. “Here love expert, drown in that.”

He raised a brow, it was a lot smoother than expected. “My gratitude.”

“So matchmaking biz not treating you right today?” Jo leaned on the bar.

“Something like that.” He took another sip. “You ever have everything you wanted right in front of you, but know that you could never actually have it, that you didn’t deserve it?”

“Nope, I’m fucking awesome.” Jo grinned at him. “I got my bar, a few good friends, and the promise to meet someone interesting. I’m sitting pretty right now.”

Balthazar laughed out loud. “Never take up betting, my dear.”

She squinted a little. “Are you in with that fucker Gabriel?”

“You know him?” Balthazar knew she didn’t, he had never researched her.

“My friend Benny, bets a little, when he can’t quite meet his bills. Been lucky so far, trying to get him away from it.”

“The person I want you to meet works with the political branch, Gabriel’s brother.” Balthazar said quietly.

“And I’m out.” Jo stared at him. “Sorry pal, I don’t mix with their sorts. This place stays in line with the law. Hell my favourite customer is a cop.” Jo looked up at the door. “That cop in fact.” 

Balthazar wished he was surprised that it was Donna that walked through his door. That just matched up with his luck recently.

“I was going to come see you Balthazar, I think we need to talk.”

Balthazar looked at her in jeans and a t-shirt. “You are quite beautiful you know, the uniform really does box your shape in ways that are just cruel to all of humanity.”

She blushed. “Talking, now. In that booth.”

Balthazar picked up his glass and went over. “Am I under arrest?”

“Do I look like I have cuffs in this?” Donna sat and Jo brought her a beer. “My day off.” 

“So, then, what would you like to talk about?”

“My boss said that I shouldn’t be arresting the Shurley family. In fact your file has vanished. Like the arrest never happened.”

“You dug some more didn’t you?”

“Of course I did.” Her grin was somehow both sweet and feral. “Lots of interesting details when you go digging, rumours, stories, warnings. Lots of photos of a couple Shurley’s shaking hands with a lot of important people.”

“Michael and Lucifer.” 

“Then there is the one in the background, never seen, the one you really don’t want to come out to play.”

“Raphael.”

“And there is sugar baby.” 

Balthazar bit his tongue. “Sugar baby.”

“Yeah the pain in the ass one. He actually seems to be off the radar the most. And if you get someone to talk about him, it’s with frustrated affection.” Donna leaned back and sipped her beer. “He’s the only omega of those four isn’t he?”

“He is, and I am the only beta in the whole extended family.”

“Shit, that’s rough.” 

“It is interesting.” Balthazar smiled. “And what did your searches turn up on me?”

“Mostly that local tabloid article about you in a fountain with four wives of very important men.”

“Ahhh youth.”

“This was 18 months ago.” But Donna smiled. “Why are you trying to match me with someone who is a giant pain in the ass and that I would likely have to arrest at some point?”

“Because you two are perfect for each other.”

“Really, what about me says I want to mate a fella and then arrest him?” Donna grinned. “Would much rather use the cuffs for funsies.”

“You like giant pains in the ass. And he has golden eyes.” Balthazar sipped his brandy. “He wants out of the family business, just wants to run away and start over and is too scared too. His brothers are rather intense and he is as well, just in a different way.” He gave her a piercing look. “What would make you happiest Donna Hascum?”

Donna stared at her beer. “Not a big city, but nothing too small either. Like a hundred thousand people at most, so you can feel you know people but still feel like not everyone is in your business. A house with a big yard. Don’t want an insane number of kids, but a couple mischief makers to chase would be nice. I like a spark in kids. A mate who can hold their own, but lets me take care of them a little bit.” Donna shrugged. “Too Mayberry right?”

“It sounds lovely.” Balthazar smiled. 

“What about you then?”

“Oh I am living the life for me.”

“We accept the love we think we deserve.” Donna quoted. “So you what, think you deserve nothing?”

“A tourist town say an hour or so out from a big city. A house in a commercial zone, a big old one. I have a wine bar on the second floor, and live on the third. I host date nights, and casually bring together customers. I get invited to weddings. Omegas come in to show off their claim mark. Maybe somewhere near a beach.”

“What’s on the first floor?”

Balthazar just smiled. “Sex shop, only the finest in knotting dildos and artificial omega scent.”

“What’s on the first floor Balthazar?” 

“A bookstore, old books, beat up books, the books no one wanted. Cranky ass cat in the window, crankier man behind the counter.”

“Any cranky man?” Donna raised a brow. “Or the one you already look at like you would sell out heaven for one of his smiles?”

Balthazar finished his drink. “He’s going to run from you. You’ll have to decide if you find him interesting enough to chase.”

“Why, tell me properly why.”

Balthazar looked at him. “Because I love my asshole of a cousin and want him to be happy.”

Donna just nodded and Balthazar left her be.

There were flowers waiting on his porch, an absurdly large condom bouquet.

Gabriel.

Balthazar read the card.

_ Sorry, don’t think you can fix this in less than two weeks. _

Balthazar ripped up the card and brought the condom bouquet into the house. He called Cas. “Bring over some tapas, we have to do some serious planning.”

“I want real food.”

“Well get yourself real food then. Not another burger, eat a vegetable.” Balthazar warned.

Cas hung up without saying another word. But 45 minutes later he had tapas and paella. “It has a vegetable in it.”

Balthazar brought him in. They ate and drank a bottle of wine. “How much trouble do you think we could get into kidnapping a police officer?”

Cas put down his glass very carefully onto the coaster and then began to drink from the bottle. “Why are you determined to make us suffer untold tortures?”

“Because we’d be bored otherwise?”

“Try again.”

“Because these people should be together.” Balthazar began to pace. “I’m tired Cassie, tired of seeing people who at their core are perfect for each other and doing nothing. Tired of sitting there waiting to be needed by the cousins and feeling useless. I just want to show them once, that I’m more than they realize.”

“Spa weekend away.”

“Not in the mood for a facial, well unless -”

“Don’t try to sound slutty, you haven’t even fucked anyone in six months.” Cas finished the bottle. “We tell her it is a weekend spa away, as an apology for it not working out.”

Balthazar smiled. “Gabriel we can lure by telling him I concede.”

“Tell Dean you need repairs done on a place and he should bring his brother to give him a break from school. Same with Kevin a weekend away, perhaps tell him it is a program to get a leg up for second year.”

“What about Meg and Jo?”

“Tell them there is a range and free booze, and ask Benny to cater, that you’ll pay extra for the short notice.”

“You do think of everything.”

“Have to, you until recently seldom thought of anything.” Cas snarked.

Balthazar was quiet, he wasn’t wrong after all.

“Forgive me.”

“Of course Cassie, no worries for the truth after all.” Balthazar smiled.

“When you smile like that, the fake one, it smells different than when it is a real one.” 

Balthazar frowned. “My scent doesn’t change that much, beta remember. We just sort of skim the surface.”

Cas stood up. “You are a tide pool, Balthazar, if I am endless possibilities, you are endless depths. And juniper, but that might just be the gin. I’ll get word to a B&B I know that we need the whole place next weekend.”

Cas left without another word.


	8. Chapter 8

“Hannah, thank you for letting us use your place for the weekend.” Cas said.

Balthazar watched in surprise as Cas let the alpha hug him. He sniffed the air. Neutral. She was using a great deal of supressents and what he could smell underneath was nothing that would match with Castiel. He wasn’t relieved or anything.

“About the other requests you have made of me. They rather skirt the law don’t they Castiel?” Hannah’s voice was soft and commanding at the same time.

Balthazar realized that this was the alpha ranger who Cas had once spoke about, who had resigned when they forced Castiel out for whistleblowing.

“People are being stupid, we are going to fix it.” Cas explained. “No violence, but if you could look a little scary and encourage them to stay the full three nights, it would be appreciated.”

“My debt to you is clear after this Castiel.” Hannah said.

“Of course.”

“Well this will beat listening to little old ladies talk about their cats anyways.” Hannah smiled. “All windows are break resistant and thoroughly locked. The groundskeeper knows what is going on, and will help keep an eye out for people trying to sneak away. Good luck with being insane.”

Balthazar smiled. “She’s a good woman.”

Cas glared at him. “Do not flirt with her.”

Balthazar startled a bit. “I had no intentions to, Castiel.”

Cas flushed a little and went to put their bags away. Balthazar was going to follow but he heard a truly dreadful sound coming down the drive. He went to the porch and saw Benny’s truck. He jolted to a stop and hopped out with a wave. He went around to the back, “Help me with this Balthazar, will you?”

Balthazar went and helped with the camping cooler and several trays. They brought it to the kitchen and Benny looked around. “Nice set up, I can work with this. How much you expecting from me, chief?”

“Breakfast, maybe a lunch tray people can help themselves to, and a dinner?” Balthazar pointed to the back door. “There is both a gas and charcoal grill out there, even a fire pit.”

“Got it.”

“Hannah, the owner of this place, is helping me arrange a greeting wine at 5, could you have a couple of trays for that?”

“Easy, prepped a bunch yesterday.” Benny rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll camp out in my truck, not get in the way of your guests.”

“Nonsense, Benny.”  Balthazar guided him to a door. “Spare room for extra help right here.” It was a small space but had a reading lamp and chair, a double bed.

“Thanks, looks good.” 

“I’ll leave you to it.” Balthazar walked out to the main hall. He had told everyone to arrive at scattered times, to help people avoid each other and what was happening. It worked pretty well, especially with Cas and Hannah running interference in the hall. 

The last to arrive were Dean and Sam. “Oh come on Balthazar, this place doesn’t need a lick of work.” Dean said as he got out of his car.

Sam whistled. “This is a pretty place.”

“Yes it is. And the main building is fine, but the owner is converting the barn into an extra honeymoon suite and fired her contractor. She wanted someone to take a look, and I trust you Dean.”

“Huh?” Dean stared at him in shock. Sam grinned though, always happy when people realized how awesome Dean was.

“I trust you Dean. You have a good eye, and clever hands. I know some people, well, I know people who know people, and if you ever wanted a proper apprenticeship, I could arrange a meeting or two. You don’t want to be a...bouncer forever.” Balthazar smiled. “Think about it.”

Balthazar walked away, laughing as he heard Sam whisper, “I thought he was supposed to be a smug arse.”

“I think maybe the ghost of Christmas past visited him or something.” Dean muttered. He was very confused by all of this. But he grabbed their bags and they followed Balthazar in.

At 5, Benny brought a couple of trays into the front room. “Ma’am.” he said to Hannah. “You have a wonderful kitchen.”

“Thank you, it’s nice to have a break this weekend. You can put those here.” She pointed to a side table. “And please, stay for this moment, Balthazar’s request.” 

Benny flushed a little, nervous about sitting on the delicate furniture and decided to go lean against the fireplace. He smiled when Dean walked in. “Hey, brother.”

“Hey, Benny. Have you seen Cas at all? If Balth is here, Cas is too, and been trying to get him to go on a date with me.” Dean smiled at his friend. He then frowned a little. “Why did your scent just turn sad?”

“Nothing.” Benny said. Of course Dean wanted an omega. “Sorry, chief, I know he’s here, haven’t seen him.”

“Ah well, that’s cool. Oh and this is Sam my little brother.”

Cas was in fact blocking the back entrance from escape and Balthazar was blocking the front. Soon everyone but Gabriel was in the room. 

Cas and Balthazar moved closer and waited for Gabe to come down the steps. And then he did, wearing a crown.

“I wish I was surprised.” Balthazar sighed.

“Come on, v-neck, when you admit I’m the king of bets, I have to be wearing a crown.” Gabriel smiled. He was looking very smug. “Be happy I left the royal scepter at home.”

Balthazar smiled at his cousin. “You are rude, insufferable, delusional, and aim too low for your life.”

Gabriel pouted. “You forgot greedy. People usually have greedy on that list.”

“That’s because you aren’t. You want to give so much, and hold back. If given the chance you would be the polar opposite of greedy.” Balthazar pushed Gabriel into the room, right into Donna. “I’m giving you the chance.”

Gabriel had stumbled and to help right him, Donna had put her hand onto his scent gland and pushed in a little. Gabe wanted to whimper and fall to his knees right there. He jerked away from Donna. “You don’t touch me.” He warned.

Donna immediately stepped back. “Just helping, hands off I promise.”

Balthazar clapped his hands. “Hello everyone.”

They all looked at him. Dean was actually the first one to put it all together. “Aw, shit this is a con.”

“Good for you.” Balthazar smiled. 

“But I have a crown.” Gabriel protested.

“And I still have a week.” Balthazar looked at everyone in the room. “Here, this weekend, in this room, you can see your biological perfect match. No one gets to leave until they are at least dating, if not falling madly in love and preparing to make a formal claim.” Balth looked to his left. “Castiel could you aid with a visual demonstration?”

Castiel nodded and went over to the side table and picked up two barbie dolls. He held them up and made like they were talking to each other. He then smooshed their faces together in a parody of kissing. The blonde barbie then was turned around and bent in half, the brunette one humping her and then slamming her face into the other doll’s neck. 

Balthazar blinked. “Yes well, that was a little more graphic than I expected.”

“I also have a powerpoint if it is needed.” Castiel offered. “Though I found most of the images on pornhub.”

“We’re good, thank you.” Balthazar heard at least two people sigh in relief. “Now then, you have lodging, and food for three days. All your cars have been disabled and there are people walking the grounds with various weapons.” Hannah rolled her eyes, the groundskeeper had a rake. “You’ll all be free to leave Monday morning, hopefully on your way to falling in love. I have provided condoms and lube in every room as well. Now then wine and snacks? We should really mingle.” 

Balthazar went over and Hannah handed him a glass of wine. The room was still silent. He turned around. “What? Not like this is the first kidnapping for several of you, go on, ask each other about your favourite movie, and if you enjoy long walks on the beach.” 

They just kept staring at him. “I will break out board games.” he warned.

“I like Clue.” Castiel said. “Twister is also amusing.”

Reluctant and terrified conversations started to drift through the room.

Balthazar went over to Cas with a glass of wine. “This is off to a good start.”

“At least three are planning to murder you in your sleep.”

“See, excellent odds.” Balthazar clinked his glass against Cas’s.

Benny served dinner a little while later and tried to think if he could remember a more awkward one. Everyone seemed tense and ready to bolt. Dean’s brother was being avoided by the other young man there and he looked so confused as to why. Gabriel was avoiding Donna like she had the plague, and Dean was making calf eyes at Cas, who was ignoring him and mostly checking to make sure no one killed Balthazar.

Who was drinking. A lot.

“Benny, you must be congratulated on this food, you are quite the cook.” Balthazar raised his glass. Everyone else followed suit and Benny flushed a little.

“Miss Hannah here has an incredible kitchen.” Benny muttered.

“I’ll want this recipe.” Hannah replied.

“Wait, all the numbers are off here.” Gabriel counted. “Our bet was for five matches, how are you adding it up? Who’s Hannah’s match then? You, Balthazar?” Gabriel snickered a little. “You’d be a horrible mate.”

Benny turned and looked at Balthazar who just smiled enigmatically and ignored his cousin. Benny looked around the table and tried to figure it out. Maybe he was supposed to be matched with Hannah. She was real nice, if not his usual type. Not Jo, maybe the other -

No, never mind, not with how the wee brunette was looking at Jo. Looked like one of Balthazar’s matches was going to go just fine.

Sure enough a moment later, Benny startled when Cas spoke. “Meg, I’m sure Jo would love to see some of the knives you brought along in that secret compartment in your suitcase.”

“Now how do you know about that Clarence?” Meg smirked a little. 

“I searched everyone’s stuff upon arrival. Anyone want to guess who brought a My Little Pony sleep shirt?”

“Gabriel.” Four people immediately answered.

“It’s a Doctor Who mashup, who wouldn’t like that?” Gabriel complained.

“I like knives.” Jo said quietly. “They are all knifey.”

“Smooth, Jo.” Donna said. Benny snorted in agreement. Donna grinned at him. Benny looked over, feeling eyes on him. Gabriel was glaring at him. He just winked.

“Balthazar, this true love thing have to happen before the sex, or can we throw down and fall in love after?” Meg asked never taking her eyes off of Jo.

“Go forth and fornicate like funky little forest frolickers.” Balthazar said cheerfully.

Cas moved his wine away and put water in front of him. “I’m not holding your hair when you puke.” Cas rebuked.

Meg and Jo left the dinner and it was hard to tell who was pulling whom. 

Balthazar looked at Gabriel. “Acknowledge that is one.”

Gabriel leaned back in his chair. “Sure. You did one hot match, bet lots of people are going to be jerking it to the thoughts of them banging. Doesn’t make them a love match.”

“Jo likes her.” Benny said quietly. Donna nodded. 

“Jo wouldn’t go with someone she didn’t think she could trust.” Donna added in. “She wouldn’t leave the safety of numbers if she didn’t think the person was really worth it.”

“Tell me when you last saw Meg smile and it wasn’t because she was going to be breaking someone’s fingers.” Donna began to swear. “Hypothetically of course.” Balthazar added. “Meg doesn’t have so much as a parking ticket.”

Dean, Gabriel, and Cas all snorted.

Benny decided he was done with this and started to gather dishes. Hannah stood and helped him. They went to the kitchen. “I could use a breather.” Hannah began to scrape plates. “Castiel warned me this weekend would be awkward, but this is painful.”

“Ma’am, never get involved with the Shurley’s, they mostly aren’t worth it.” Benny set some pots to soak.

“Mostly?”

“Balth and Gabe are men who could potentially be good, if they wanted. Question is, if they want it.” Benny shrugged. Hannah smiled at him and touched his arm in sympathy. “Ma’am, are you the match Balthazar has in mind for me?” He liked her smile and she seemed real nice and all. But.

Hannah kissed his cheek. “No, I’m just providing the prison for this shit show. I’m non-dynamic. I have no interest in mating.”

Benny nodded. “You do have a great kitchen.” They talked as they cleaned and didn’t realize how much time had passed.

“Yo, Benny, dessert?” Dean asked as he ducked his head in. “Unless you are too busy.” He looked at Hannah and back at Benny. Benny just raised a brow and Dean frowned. His scent was sharp and jealous. Benn wondered if Cas had been paying attention to someone else. 

“I’ll be right in with pie and cream, chief.” Benny kept his voice easy.

Dean gave a sharp nod and left.

“Better go in before someone ends up dead.” Benny said. Hannah gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and sent him back in alone.


	9. Chapter 9

In the morning Balthazar woke up more hungover than he expected - this is what came from cutting back. Cas was sitting on the window seat and reading a romance novel he had found down in the library.

“She was quivering in anticipation, ready, eager for him to breach her secret spots.” Cas read out loud. “Have you ever made someone quiver with anticipation before breaching their secret spots?” He asked Balthazar.

“Hmmm once or twice, thought the spots aren’t exactly secret.” Balthazar smiled at the memories. “And you, have you ever quivered?”

“Just once.” Cas put the book down. “Gabe tried to escape in the night, Hannah’s assistant caught him. Kevin tried to logic me into letting him go. It was cute. Meg and Jo requested new sheets. Twice. I vote we let them leave.”

“Has Gabriel acknowledged them as a match?”

“At about 5 this morning when Meg was heard calling Lucifer and resigned while Jo was going down on her.” Cas looked a little embarrassed. “It was very vocal. Said she couldn’t work for the devil when she had just seen heaven. Apparently you get free drinks at that bar now.”

“Excellent.” Balthazar sat up a little and couldn’t help but suck in just a little when he saw Cas stare at his chest.

“You know you are perfectly fit.” Cas said dismissively. Balthazar relaxed his muscles and Cas nodded. “You can’t win. Gabriel was right about that.”

“I know.” Balthazar smiled. “I tried to find more while you had been on your heat, but these four couples were all I could reasonably pull off.”

“I could lie and say Hannah and I are a match.”

Balthazar smiled a little. “You would do that for me?”

“How do you not see what I would do for you?” Cas’s stare was intense, painful and Balthazar had to look away.

“No, we don’t lie. It would come back to bite us and I’ll not see you used in that way.” Balthazar looked at the duvet. “You matter more than that. No, this is just about getting close. No one ever gets close to Gabriel - the house always wins. But I’ll have made him sweat. And that is something, and then I’ll deal with the consequences of the loss.”

“What was the wager?” Cas asked.

“More than I want to lose, but everything I deserve.” Balthazar smiled. “Be a dear and find me some aspirin and coffee?”

“I don’t like it when you hide behind words.” But Cas stood up. “It makes me worry. I don’t like worrying. I’d rather ignore it or punch it.”

“I know, that’s your charm.”

Cas left him alone and Balthazar staggered to the shower it was going to be a long day.

Kevin was reading a textbook to prep for his second year. The professor had assigned it the last three years so he figured it was a safe call to get ahead on.

“The profs actually switched in that class, Professor Talbot will be leading the discussion, and she assigns a different book.” Sam said when he came in and noticed what Kevin was reading. “Her book order just came in at the store.”

“I know that,” Kevin bluffed. “I just figured it couldn’t hurt to read this too.”

Sam smiled. “Oh it could hurt plenty that book is just about the driest thing I’ve read at that place. Thank god for my last couple fourth year seminars next year, they look like they’ll be fun.”

“Shouldn’t you be done by now, or did the trouble you got into attacking that omega put you behind?” Kevin asked. “Being a brute can slow studies down.” Kevin was impressed with how strong he sounded. He waited for the alpha to snarl or corner him, ready to scream for help. Only he did. Sam backed away a little and whimpered. His scent veered to distressed and that was when Kevin realized how nice Sam’s scent had been before, like ink and wax, an old scent on a young man. “Sam?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt them, but they wouldn’t listen when I said no.” Sam whimpered again. “I didn’t like hurting them but they tried to force me into claiming them, they were high on some sort of drug and it triggered a heat and I ended up pushing them and they fell down some steps and broke a bunch of bones. I had just had my last growth spurt. Didn’t realize how strong I was.” Sam hunched in on himself, his scent growing sadder. “I’m sorry. I’ll just go...I’ll eat in the kitchen so you don’t have to be around a monster like me.”

“You’re a high alpha, why would you push an omega away, you’d want all you can get.”

“I want to fall in love, but no one wants a broke kid, whose brother has worked shit jobs to help him get through school, who has a record, and just is the size of me.” Sam tried to make himself even smaller. “I’m sorry.” He repeated and began to leave.

Kevin felt like shit and was horrible at apologies. “This book is boring. Is what Professor Talbot assigned better?”

“Yeah, more about the history of the genetics studies, versus the studies themselves.” Sam said cautiously. “She’s a bit harsh a teacher, but it is that she has no time for people who slack off.”

“Slacking off isn’t really my problem.” Kevin laughed at himself a little.

“Relaxing sometimes isn’t a bad thing.” Sam said. “I mean I know I study way too much, but I have hobbies too. Do you? Have any hobbies?”

“Not really, the ones I had were all about getting into school and once I did I realized I hated them all.” Kevin admitted.

“Try and figure one out, it will help.” Sam nodded a little.

“I’m sorry.” Kevin managed to say. “You sort of scare me. Lots of things scare me.”

“I could show you a few moves, all hands off.” Sam quickly added. “But just a couple self defense tricks, might make you feel a little braver.”

Kevin was about to say no, even if it wasn’t assigned, he should finish the book. But Sam’s scent had smoothed out a little. He did like that smell of ink. “Sure, why not?” Kevin put the book down and they went out to the back garden keeping a foot apart the whole time. But they were both smiling a little at the end of the lesson.

Dean was looking for Cas, he was sure he had a sure fire way to ask the guy out. Only every time he thought he saw the man, he sort of disappeared. “Cas, where are you?”

“Right here.” Cas said from just behind him.

“Jesus, how has Balth not tied a bell onto you?” Dean had jumped but was relieved that he hadn’t screamed. He tried to regain some cool. He smoothed down his shirt and tried the smile that had always worked. 

“No.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Dean protested. 

“You were going to ask me out again.” Cas nodded a little. “And I just saved us the time.”

“But, look Cas. You are smart and funny, at least I think you are? Kind of hard to tell if you are joking or planning to kill us all.” Dean laughed and waited for Cas to join in.

Cas didn’t.

“Anyways, I just think we could have some fun together.”

“Why do you want to date me Dean?” Cas asked.

“Well, I sort of just said?” Dean scratched his head confused. 

“No, those are the surface reasons. You have other ones. Those ones are worth a little wasted time.” 

Dean just looked at him. 

“Good day, Dean.” Cas turned to leave.

“You aren’t scared.” Dean said. “You know I’m high alpha and it doesn’t seem to phase you. Lots of people when they catch the full scent of it are scared, they find they had plans. I’m good for a fuck, but not the sort omegas bring home to mom. Add in the job and generally being trash, well you know all that and don’t look at me like you scraped me off your shoe. You don’t seem to be the scared type.” Dean shrugged a little. “And I dunno, suppose you’re kind of sexy too and shit.” 

Cas smiled a little. “You are kind of sexy too and shit.” But he shook his head and sat down on the back steps. “You are mistaken about a great many things Dean.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot, but what in particular here?” 

Cas gestured and Dean didn’t move. “Oh, just sit would you?” Dean came and sat beside him. “I am absolutely the scared type. I was scared when I presented as omega, and I was scared when I joined the army. I was fucking terrified when I went to that committee and told them about the omega abuse my superiors were involved in. I was angry when I was forced out of a job I loved, and I was angry the day I stepped into Gabriel’s den. I was scared shitless when I realized how much I had gambled away and I was scared when I basically became Balth’s indentured servant.” But Cas smiled a little and Dean realized something. It hurt his heart a little, but far less than he thought it might.

“Were you scared the day you realized you loved Balthazar?” Dean asked quietly.

“No, freaked out and drank a liquor store the day after, but not that day.”

“You should ask him out.” Dean suggested.

Cas snorted. “Oh Dean. Dean Dean Dean. We don’t work like that.”

“Well how do you two work then?” 

Cas didn’t answer that. “You aren’t trash you know. You are clever, and kind, and better than you imagine.”

“Yeah but omegas -”

“So open your eyes and look at other people Dean.” Cas pushed him a little. “There is cake as well as pie in the universe.”

Dean nodded. “Suppose there is.” He stood up. “Well, sorry for the hitting on you.”

“Accepted. Now I need to go up to the roof because Gabriel will shortly be trying to jump off it as a means of escape.”

“That won’t work.”

“Balthazar cut off his sugar. He is not thinking correctly.” Cas sighed. “I sometimes wonder if I died in Afghanistan and if I am currently stuck in hell.” 

Dean looked around their beautiful setting. “Some hell this is.”

“Gabriel, no sugar. Balthazar, scheming.  A cop, with two Shurley’s. How is this not hell?” Cas shrugged and looked at the roof. “But if it is hell, I could let him fall.” 

Dean saw the shape on the roof. “Did he make wings?” 

“6. He’s feeling biblical I see.” Cas looked at the side of the building. “I suppose I could climb the drain pipe.”

“No need. The cop is up there.” Dean pointed.

“Oh good.” Cas smiled a little. “Now I can go eat cookies.”

Dean watched him walk away and wondered if he should get some pillows or something to break the fall.

“Brother, what you lookin’ at?” Benny asked coming out the back door.

“Gabe’s on the roof.” Dean pointed at the wings flapping.

“Huh.”

“Yup.”

“Wanna go shoot some guns behind the barn, Hannah has targets set up.”

Dean nodded. “Sure, sounds fun. Most he’ll do is break a leg.”

They walked to the back. “What’s that smell? Like...iced coffee with vanilla cream?” Dean sniffed the air, it was nice, just sort of sank into him.

“That’s me.” Benny said quietly. “What I smell like when I’m happy.”

“Why didn’t I know that?”

“Usually when you see me I’m smelling like onions and cheese and maybe the deep fryer.” Benny grinned. “Glorious smells to be sure, but not exactly mine.”

Dean breathed in a little more. “You smell nice.”

“Don’t think you are supposed to say that to people, chief.” Benny looked at the targets. “But, I’ve thought you smelled nice for a while too.” Benny grinned slowly and winked at him.

Dean ducked his head a bit, that smile was a good smile. “Let’s shoot some shit.”

Benny nodded but the grin stayed in place.

Gabriel looked over the edge of the roof. He had seriously weighed all the pros and cons and decided that a broken arm or leg was worth it to get the hell out of this. The wings were just for show. If you were going to do something spectacularly stupid, you might as well make it spectacular.

He started to flap his arms a bit.

“You really think one broken limb, would make Balthazar let you leave?” The sweet voice said behind him. “Because I bet you Cas and Hannah have enough triage experience to set that decently and have you stuck here for another 24 hours at least.” Donna walked over.

“I could maybe break two?” Gabriel looked over the side again. “And why haven’t you arrested them for like kidnapping or something?” 

“Honestly?” Donna smiled. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Those boys are a hoot.”

Gabriel stopped looking over the side. “What?”

“They are cutie pies.” Donna grinned. “They are both grumpy, Balthazar is mildly intoxicated, and like stupid in love and just want other people to be as happy as them.”

Gabriel honest to god felt his goes out. “I don’t even know where to start with that.”

Donna plopped down next to him. “Uff-da.” She looked down and realized that her shirt was pulling a little over her tummy and tried to subtly shift it.

“Stop fidgeting, I’m thinking.”

“Takes that much work does it? It’s okay you have your looks to get you through.”

“Yeah.” Gabriel agreed. “Hey wait, I’m like the cleverest ever. No one is better with numbers or pranks than me.” He paused and couldn’t stop preening for just a second. “You think I’m attractive.”

“You betcha. I like them sweet and a little smarmy.” Donna reached into her pocket and threw him a Jolly Rancher. “Here, I saw Balth take away your syrup this morning, figure you must be jonesing.”

“Isn’t it wrong for a cop to feed a habit?” But Gabe quickly unwrapped the candy.

“Last I check giving an omega some sugar was only punishable by having to deal with the hopped up omega.” Donna looked at him and smiled. “You planning to do some hopping?”

Gabriel blushed and ducked his head. Then he realized what he was doing and looked at her. “Please, I’ve shit out lines better than that.”

Donna shrugged and lay on her back on the sloped roof. “I like this. I like roofs.” She smelled happy and like sweets from from the oven.

“You’re sweet for an alpha.” Gabe blurted out.

“You’re salty for an omega.” She replied easily. “You’re also just salty.”

Gabe settled himself beside her. “I’m a criminal you know.”

“Your file ain’t on my table. White collar not really my division.” Donna had her eyes closed.

“I’m a bad man.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“You don’t know that.” Gabe plucked at the feathers of his fake wings.

“Sure I do, I know bad men. You’re a jackass, and shifty, and a lying liar who lies, but Balth wouldn’t be caring so much about your future happiness if you were a bad man, he’d ignore you like he does your brothers.”

“How do you know so much about him?”

“Looked him up, bribed a couple guys that you all bribe.”

“You’re clever.” Gabe kind of hated how much he was liking her.

“I do okay.” She handed him another candy and he took it. It was only when he popped it in his mouth that he clued in. He went to spit it out and her scent became so sad. “Please don’t, it doesn’t mean anything. Just a piece of candy.”

“You’re feeding me.”

“I feed a lot of people. I like feeding people.” Donna turned her head and looked at him. “Why don’t you want to be happy Gabriel?”

“You don’t get to be happy in our family. You get to be rich and powerful. It’s enough for the rest.” Gabriel looked at her. “Who doesn’t want that?”

“You.” She held out her hand. Gabriel started to reach for her but snatched his hand back.

He pulled himself together, pulled his scent in, which had grown into something that held longing, and want. “So, what’s that you were saying about Balth and Cas?” He smirked. “Balth doesn’t do love.”

Donna sat up. “You said you are clever. So be clever. Don’t just think about how he was, think about who he is. Who has he been the last few months?”

Gabe opened his mouth a smart reply ready.

“No. Think, omega.” Donna said sharply, scent strong.

Gabriel tilted his head a bit, both in submission and in thought. “He’s drinking less. Focused.”

“On what, on who?”

“Our bet. He wants to win.”

“Why?”

“To show me up.”

“If it was just that, he wouldn’t be caring about making you happy too.” Donna poked Gabriel with her foot.

“The terms of the bet are Cas. He almost hurt me over Cas.” Gabriel said. “He never hurts me. Only one who ever dried my tears and kissed my boo-boos. My brothers all said to suck it up.” Gabriel put everything together. “Oh my god, they’re the fifth match.”

“Yup. Only they don’t know.” Donna said.

Gabriel didn’t think, just brought his fingers together and did the most evil laugh he could conjure up. “Oh yes! This makes the rest of today and tomorrow much more interesting.”

Donna didn’t think and just tackled him, put his arms above his head. They weren’t that different in height, he only had a couple inches on her really. She had the added alpha strength and years of training. Gabriel was used to hired muscle keeping him safe.

Their bodies lined up and whatever Donna was going to say slipped out of her head. Even with him trying to hold his scent back he was just so tempting. She looked at his eyes, the colour she had told Balthazar she liked. “Gabriel.”

“Donna, please get off of me.” Gabriel whispered. He wanted to whimper and give over to her, but he wouldn’t.

“Forgive me omega for presuming and invading your space.” Donna said formally. She pushed up and off of him and for a moment he followed. She stood up. “Just because you are scared to reach for what you want, don’t destroy what Balthazar is meandering towards. They are happy.”

“They bicker.”

“Some people like bickering. The push and pull of it can be amazing. An equal, that can play like that? Isn’t it what we all want?” Donna nodded at him and went back into the house through the attic window.

Gabriel doesn’t move on the roof for a while, trying to think everything through.

He needs to talk to Balthazar.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Balthazar was in the kitchen fixing a snack when Gabriel came in. “We need to talk.”

Balthazar put the knife down. “About what?”

“About everything.” Gabe’s voice was quiet, serious.

“Very well then.” Balthazar put his plate aside, knowing this wasn’t the sort of conversation to have over food. They went to the dining room where the tables had been all pushed apart again and they sat at a small one. The looked at each other over the small floral arrangement, neither saying a word.

“Say I won.” Gabriel looked at him, there was no humour on his face or in his scent.

“How’s Donna doing?” Balthazar asked.

“Say I won, and we can negotiate new terms.”

“She’s quite funny. And sweet.” Balthazar continued. “She truly is a perfect match for you.”

“Perfect biological match doesn’t mean perfect match.” Gabriel said. “You got lucky with Meg and Jo, I’ll give you that one.”

“Sam and Kevin, and Dean and Benny have spent the day in each other’s company and seem content with that.” Balthazar crossed his legs and leaned back.

“Content doesn’t equal matched.” Gabriel countered. “And look at me, your match has failed.”

Balthazar shook his head. “You deliberately sabotaging it, doesn’t equal failure.”

“You had to know it could never work.” Gabriel’s voice was harsh and his scent went abruptly bitter.

“I knew I wanted it to work for you.” Balthazar looked at him. “I know you want babies, I know you want an alpha who takes care of you, but doesn’t smother you, I know you want to bake and laugh, and sure maybe make a few friendly bets on weekends.”

“I wanted that when I was 15. Been a long ass time since I was 15.” Gabriel smirked a little. “And besides I get plenty of action.”

“Don’t cheapen your heart. Not when it is aching so.”

“And what about your heart cousin?” Gabriel asked.

“Sold it for a lovely Italian suit years ago.” Balthazar said with a smirk to rival Gabriel’s. 

“No you didn’t. It took me a long time to clue into that, but I see it now.” Gabriel held out his hand. “And that is why you are going to shake my hand and tell me I won and become more involved in the family business. Because if you do, I take Cas off the table. All debts cleared and he walks away from the Shurley’s a free man.” 

Balthazar blinked. He looked at the hand. He took a deep breath. “Counter offer.”

Gabriel put his hand down, “Don’t think you are in a position to make one there v-neck.”

“I take over your job and you walk away as well.” Balthazar smiled as Gabriel stared at him in shock. “Oh look, I made the one and only Gabriel Shurley speechless.”

Gabriel could feel his mouth opening and closing but no words were coming out.

“Take your time.” Balthazar pulled out his phone and poked at a few apps.

“What are you doing?” Gabriel finally asked.

Balthazar sighed. “Growing up it seems.” He put his phone tell. “Tell me Gabriel, if we weren’t us, if we weren’t the Shurley’s, if this bet had never happened, and we were who we wanted to be when we were kids, what would you think of Donna?”

“Don’t make me answer that, Balth.”

“Isn’t that answer enough?” He shot back. “You’d love her, she would let you be a tease and a jokester and help you find that perfect line to walk. And you’d remind her that there is good in the universe, that she can come home to it every day, that someone wants her desperately. You are both so hungry to be wanted, to be needed, and you would fill all those gaps for each other.” Balthazar gave him a hard look. “If we weren’t us, you could walk back upstairs and knock on her door and smile at her and ask her for the world and she would give it to you.”

“I wouldn’t want the world.” Gabriel’s voice was small. A sweet, sad voice that Balthazar hadn’t heard in forever.

“No, you’d just want your alpha. And everything she’d give you, you’d give her double in return.” Balthazar scrubbed a hand over his face. “No matter what Gabriel, you’ve won this weekend. I don’t have a fifth match. Why aren’t you waiting the two days and getting it all. Me, Castiel still in pocket, and eternal bragging rights?”

Gabriel threw a napkin at his head. “Why are you still pretending that you aren’t the fifth match?”

“I’m not. We’re not a match.”

“Horse shit.” Gabriel shot back. “You two are a fucking set if I ever saw one. I mean sure Donna needed to hit me over the head with it, but once I heard it, it was just one of those of course they are perfect.”

“Just because he is perfect for me, doesn’t mean I’m perfect for him.” Balthazar looked at Gabriel. “I walk away from him, for the same reason you walk away from Donna - because they deserve better than us.” This time it was Balthazar who held out his hand. “Congratulations Gabriel, you won the bet.”

Gabriel smelled of sorrow. “I’ve never been this unhappy to win. You are making me feel things. I don’t wike it.” But he shook Balthazar’s hand. “Castiel is off the table.”

Balthazar gripped tight. “And so are you.” He leaned over and kissed Gabriel’s head. “There now, you are all better aren’t you?”

“No.”

“You will be.” Balthazar let go of him. “I feel like you should try the west coast, northern. Portland has wonderful donuts I hear.”

“Balthazar…”

“I love you Gabriel.”

Balthazar went upstairs to his bedroom and sat on his bed. Everything hurt. He just...hurt. But maybe it would hurt a little less in time. When they were free. There was a quick knock on the door and Balthazar pasted a smile on his face. “Come in Cas.”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Because only you can make a knock sound both tired and snarky. It is a good life skill, you should put it on your resume. You’ll need to polish that up.” Balthazar grabbed his suitcase and began to pack quickly.

“Why would I need a resume? I have a useless job, I don’t need another.” Castiel answered. “I just have you broken in and where I want you.”

“Oh and where is it that you want me Castiel?”

“In my life.”

Balthazar stumbled a little before he got back to packing. “Well, sorry, darling, but that is no longer the case. Your debt has been cleared away, gone in a puff. You are free from your contract with the family, and the business will be closing its doors soon enough anyways. I will of course write you a glowing reference. I would suggest you avoid customer service though, it involves a rather lot of smiling.”

Castiel moved closer. “What did you do, Balthazar?”

“A good thing.” 

“No.” Castiel glared. “Don’t give me any doing this for my good, I’ve become a noble man, crap. You aren’t noble.”

Balthazar stared at him. “That hurts, deep down, Castiel.” He smiled, to hide the truth of it.

“What did Gabriel do?” Castiel took the clothes out of Balthazar’s hands. “What has this bet really been about?”

“It doesn’t matter, we changed the parameters. He won, I lost, and you are free. Those are the highlights.” Balthazar shrugged it off. “Let’s not pretend you’ll miss me.”

Castiel pulled him into a hard kiss. Balthazar let himself sink into it for a moment before pushing him gently back. Balthazar lay his cheek against Castiel’s. “Do not make the mistake of underestimating just how much I would do for you.” Balthazar returned to his packing. “I’m afraid I’m letting you go Castiel. Sorry about that. I am a rather unfortunate matchmaker.”

“You are an idiot.” Castiel said before he left the room and slammed the door.

“I love you too.” Balthazar said quietly. He finished packing his bag and left after making sure that Hannah would let the guests finish their stay if they so chose. 

Castiel pushed everyone into the front sitting room. “Balthazar is doing something stupid and we are going to fix it.” He scanned everyone there. “If I am going to continue to exist in the endless misery that is a standard life then I am damn well doing with his his snarky drunk ass at my side.”

“Is that a declaration of love, or mutually assured destruction?” Kevin wondered.

“I think it is both.” Dean answered. “I think it is romantic. And terrifying.” And honestly made him wonder what he had seen in Cas. Benny laughed beside Dean and Dean leaned closer to him along the wall.

Cas looked at everyone and then focused on Gabriel, who made a point of searching his pockets for a snack.

Donna tapped his shoulder with a bag of M&Ms and he grabbed it like a lifeline. Castiel snatched it away. He ignored Donna’s growl and how Gabriel flushed at the growl. 

“You talk.” Castiel said. “This all begins and ends with you Gabriel.”

“Balth made some choices and I’m going to respect them?” Gabriel smiled.

“No you aren’t, you don’t respect shit. Talk.”

Gabriel began the fake tears. “I just….I just can’t…”

Castiel put him into the wall. “Try again. You will not hide this time Gabriel. Time to grow up.”

Donna snapped open a baton and growled. “Castiel, got to ask you to let go of my omega.” Everyone looked at her. “I mean...err...your fellow omega.”

“Shit that is all sorts of hot.” Gabriel whispered. Donna flushed a little hearing that and Gabriel was sunk. “Aww crap, he really can find people perfect matches can’t he? That’s annoying.” He looked at Donna and sort of waved even though Castiel was still holding him tight. “Uh...hi. Do you maybe want to ask me for a date?”

Dean coughed as Castiel let Gabriel go. “Boss, isn’t that a bad idea?”

“Oh it is a horrifically bad idea, but not for the reasons you think. I’m out and Balthazar is taking over my job.” Castiel looked ready to hurt Gabriel a lot, so Gabe quickly explained everything.

Castiel stepped away from Gabriel and straightened his tie. “I am going to break his attractive face.”

“Why?” Gabriel asked. “Because he tried to do the right thing for you?”

“Because he did it without my consultation.” Castiel answered. “I could have paid you off months ago, my cousin died and I was their heir. It wasn’t much but the liquidation of the assets would have covered my debt.”

“Why didn’t you?” Benny asked. Castiel glared at him and Benny decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Because I am fond of his attractive face. And if I was stuck actually living a life, stuck to him wasn’t so bad.”

“That’s Cas’s version of saying he’s madly in love with Balth.” Dean staged whispered.

“Yeah, Dean, we all sort of got it.” Sam said back. “So what exactly is going on, because I’m a little confused.”

“Not so much a bouncer Sam, as I am a knee breaker for a bookie?”

“Dean!”

“If we’re doing full disclosure, I sort of help his numbers.” Kevin added in.

“This is all hypothetical you are all writing a play or something, remember?” Donna said quickly.

“Gabriel, I do hold you in a modicum of affection, but working more closely with your brothers will destroy Balthazar and I do not find that I like that idea.” Castiel warned. “I am going to destroy them instead.”

“Don’t.”

“Why? They deserve it.” 

“You’d have to get rid of too many people.” Gabriel looked around the room. “I’ve maybe always had a secret exit strategy, and think we can stretch it to cover me and Balth.” Gabriel looked at Donna. “I am tired and just want to make cookies. Far away from here. Balth suggested near Portland. They have donuts.”

“I can date in Portland. Or maybe a smaller city not too far from Portland.”

“Just like that?” Gabriel asked stunned. No one did stuff for him, made sacrifices for him.

“You betcha.” Donna held out a jolly rancher and Gabriel took it.

“Lovely courting, Balthazar would be pleased. So how about we extricate him from your hellish relatives so that he can.”

“It’s simple. Dean, Kevin you are both fired. You might want to move.” Gabriel smiled. “They’ll not come after you, you have nothing really, but some space might be a good idea.”

“Nope, I know enough they’ll leave me alone, especially if I steer clear of the business. Thinking of working towards a contractor’s licence anyways.”

Kevin just shrugged. “I have a chance to do my second year in London, that should cool anything off.”

“Okay then.” Gabriel nodded. “Cas, give all the files to Donna.”

Cas tilted his head. “What files?”

“The ones Balth has hidden that have details on the major clients, my brothers, their wives. Give Donna all the files.” 

Castiel pulled a chain off his neck and handed it to Donna.

“I thought we’d at least have to do a midnight raid or something.”

“Sorry.” Castiel smiled and tapped on his phone. “Copies are also with a general I know who has contacts in the FBI, DEA, and a couple other alphabet groups.”

“Good, I have other files I can add.” Gabriel said. “We keep it simple. I meet my brothers and explain that all information is on a deadman’s switch - their empire is only toppled if they come after us. They let us go and we stay gone. They rule the world and we get to rule us.”

“Trying to be a good man?” Castiel asked.

“Trying, going to take a hell of a lot of practice.” Gabriel laughed. “But if Balthazar can actually fall in love, suppose I can try to be a decent sort.”

“He doesn’t love me.”

Everyone in the room groaned.

“Oh. This is all because he loves me.” The group nodded as one. “That actually is going to make me break his face more.” Castiel looked at Gabriel. “Fix all of this.”

“Sure. No pressure.” He smiled though, when Donna handed him another piece of candy.

Balthazar sat at his desk and had no idea what he felt. It was done, it was all done. He had to shut up the office and get out of the state by the end of the month, but something had happened and he and Gabriel were being stricken from the family records. It was Raphael who had cut him lose, the disgust on the man palpable, but Balthazar didn’t care.

He just now needed to figure out what to do with his life and where to do it. He grabbed one of the flasks in his desk and started drinking.

“I am quite cross with you.” Castiel said from the doorway. Balthazar tossed him a different flask and Castiel sat down on the couch.

“I am sure. You often are.” 

“You could have told me the parameters of the bet. You should have.” 

“I should have.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“Because as time passed I wished I hadn’t be so careless with your life.” Balthazar admitted.

“You know most self help books and that bloated whale of a fake doctor, Dr. Phil, suggest that communication in a relationship is rather important.” Castiel said. He took a slug from his flask.

“I do hear that, though I admit I focus more on shows that involve Who’s my baby’s Daddy?”

“When we are eventually in bed together would you want me to call you Daddy?” Castiel asked.

Balthazar choked on his drink. “That escalated quickly.”

“I know that reference.” 

“Good for you.” Balthazar twisted the lid onto his flask. “You did something didn’t you?”

“Gabriel did something. I helped. It seems he’s moving to the sunny northwest. And that once paperwork is organized so too is a certain police officer.”

Balthazar smiled. “I’m glad.” It was the most sincere he had ever sounded. 

“I’ll be going then.” Castiel stood.

“That’s it?” Balthazar looked at him shocked.

“It is.”

“Are you sure we don’t have more to...discuss?” Balthazar realized he could smell Cas. The omega’s scent was thick, rich, and happy.

“No. I’ve already packed the belongings I want to keep and have given my notice to my landlord. And you gave me notice a week ago at the B&B remember?”

“Where are you going?” Balthazar bit his tongue to stop from asking to go along.

“On an adventure.” Castiel laughed at himself. “I’m in my mid thirties and I want to find myself. You said you were careless with my life, I was careless before that. I need...time to figure out who I am when I’m not angry all the time.”

“I like you angry.”

Castiel ignored that. “I would imagine though that I’ll close my travels looking at some tidepools. I hear the pacific northwest has some lovely ones.”

“I’ve heard that as well.” Balthazar agreed. “Castiel…”

“Save it for when I see you again. It will make for an interesting conversation. More interesting than boring you with my Eat, Pray, Love expedition.”

“You are an idiot.” Balthazar raised his flask to Castiel.

Castiel nodded and left Balthazar. 

When Balthazar closed up the office an hour later their was a post it on the front door.

_ I love you too. _

He had to go look at some tide pools.


	11. Chapter 11

**18 months later**

 

“Gabriel, will you calm down.” Balthazar shouted into the phone. “I won’t miss it.”

“You missed the baby shower.” Gabriel snarked back. “I had to eat extra cake.”

“Well, you’d think you’d actually be thanking me for that.”

“True, it was really good cake.” Gabriel agreed. “Twins are early, Balthazar and I’ll not have their only family miss them showing up.”

“I will hand my bar over to my second in command the moment Donna calls me. You are a three hour drive away. I will make it in plenty of time with an absurd amount of gifts for my two nieces. Now go lie down and rest. Your ass is getting giant.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me and are grateful every damn day I found Donna for you.” Balthazar replied.

“Go pour some wine.” Gabriel hung up without another word.

Anna looked at Balthazar with a smile. “Only two phone calls today, he’s doing well.”

“Donna had put his phone under the sofa figuring that would cut me a break. He fished it out with a selfie stick.” 

Anna laughed. “We should have a good crowd tonight for match night.”

Every third Friday was meet your match night at  _ The Fallen Angel _ . Balthazar poured drinks and told people what to look for in mates, let them know if a perfect match was there. He always put on a hell of a show that night and people drove in from surrounding towns and the city to take part.

Balthazar crouched by the bar fridge and looked at the photos on it. One of Dean and Benny in Benny’s diner, Sam visiting Kevin in London, and an extremely not safe for work one of Meg and Jo. 

And one of Castiel flipping off the photo booth it was taken in, the one time Balthazar forced him to go to a mall.

He stood with the chilled glasses and poured a pre-work drink for Anna. They clicked and talked plans for the bar for the next few weeks, when the waitress Tessa came in.

“Tonight should be a good night, already a line forming outside the steps Balth.” She said as she stashed her coat. “Thought several are ducking into the bookstore while they wait. I hadn’t realized that you finally found someone to run the shop downstairs.” 

Balthazar put his drink down. “I hadn’t.” He ran down the steps that were on the side of the house that he had converted into the two businesses and went in the front door, which lead into the bookstore that had had a coming soon sign on it for 5 months.

Sure enough there were people milling about and waved to him, and told him it was exciting that the bookstore was finally open. He made his way to the back of the shop where Castiel was carefully making a sale. 

“I am sorry, I am new to this system.” Castiel pushed a few buttons. “Should this machine be asking for my soul? That feels wrong.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes and took it from the man. He finished the sale and shooed the woman away.

“We have a cat.”

“That is what you open with after 18 months - we have a cat.” Balthazar looked at him. There was a new tear in the coat, and Castiel was all scruffy. And gorgeous.

“Bookstores need a shop cat. She may or may not be an international jewel thief.”

“You look tired.”

“It was a long bus ride to here. I do not sleep on buses. They smell.” 

“Have you eaten?” Balthazar tried not to whimper as Castiel’s scent filled his nose. It was so happy. The happiest he had ever felt Castiel be. He wanted to never let go of that scent. He wanted to never let go of Castiel.

“Yes.”

“You can set your own hours here.” Balthazar looked around the shop. “I had hoped that you would -”

“It is perfect Balthazar.” Castiel said quietly. “I would very much like to work in this bookstore, below your wine bar.”

“It is also below where I sleep.”

“I would very much like to sleep below you as well.”

“I could put a cot in the storage room.”

Castiel pulled Balthazar into a kiss. “That isn’t what I meant.”

“Oh thank fuck.” Balthazar said. “Would you like to come upstairs for a drink?”

“I’ll close up the bookstore in a couple hours and then come up to your bar.” Castiel leaned into him. “Is this where I tell you how much I missed you and how desperately in love with you I am?”

“Good heavens no.” Balthazar smiled. “Much too sentimental for us, don’t you think?”

Castiel smiled. “Indeed.” He gave Balthazar another kiss. “I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

“Excellent.” Balthazar stepped back. “I named my bar for you.”

“No sentimental declarations remember?”

“Of course, silly of me.” Balthazar couldn’t stop staring at him. “Did I ever tell you that I know who your perfect match is?”

“I think I managed to figure it out.”

“Good.” Balthazar gave him a wink and went upstairs to poor some drinks.

People were going to fall in love tonight.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Art for Hearts Entwined, Bodies Aligned](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8975167) by [SupernaturalMystery306](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SupernaturalMystery306/pseuds/SupernaturalMystery306)




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